


Into the Black

by Jabean



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Canon Divergence - Post-Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Family, Friendship, Gen, Halfblood Hermione Granger, Hogwarts Eighth Year, Multi, Not Canon Compliant - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Regulus Black Lives, The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, minor PTSD
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-17
Updated: 2019-02-20
Packaged: 2019-10-30 10:32:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 23
Words: 75,536
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17826956
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jabean/pseuds/Jabean
Summary: The summer after Hermione's 6th year begins with her coming to the realization that she is not her parents' daughter. Follow Hermione as she comes to terms with who she is and where she comes from. The actions of good people are questioned, and people on the other side of the war are not as bad as they seem. Everyone has their secrets.CURRENTLY ON HIATUS (as of October 2019) — I have deleted some chapters (24-38) to rewrite and post at a later time. The story will be continued (I promise). It will take me some time to fix. But it will be done. ❤️





	1. Chapter 1

Hermione Jean Granger was confused.

She had recently returned home from her sixth year at Hogwarts, Albus Dumbledore, headmaster and leader of the light, had been killed.

She knew it was only a matter of time before her parents were hunted down and slaughtered by Death Eaters due to her relationship with Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived, and due to the fact that she was a muggleborn witch.

A smart muggleborn witch. _Very _smart.__

 

Yet she was confused.

 

On the train ride home, as the rest of the Hogwarts students were dealing with the fact that the headmaster was killed and Death Eaters had terrorized the castle, Hermione was dealing with the fact that the only way she'd have any chance to protect her mother and father was if they had no idea who she was. The safest place she could put them was as far away from her as possible. She had to obliviate them.

 

So, as she got out of her parents car, after having arrived home from Kings Cross Station she followed them inside, sat them down, and made them tea. They asked her how her school year went. She said she had the highest marks of her year. They were proud. They were dentists, education had always been important.

 

She got up off the couch, with the pretence of running to the toilet. She stood behind her parents on the couch, watching the television advertise cheap flights to Australia. Hermione reached for her wand in her pocket, and quietly but clearly spoke "obliviate."

 

She picked through each and every memory they had of her and pulled them out of their heads. She found the summers and holidays spent with them during her breaks from her schooling. Letters she had sent telling them of her classes. Their trip to Diagon Alley before her second year. Meeting Professor McGonagall as she explained that she was a witch. She found the years she spent with them prior to learning she was a witch. She pulled everything out. Younger and younger she got in their memories. Five years old, getting storybooks for her birthday. Just over a year old learning how to walk and talk.

 

She reached all the way to her birth, her mother finding out she was pregnant after years of trying. Their miracle baby, as they always told her. Yet there was nothing there. Absolutely nothing.

 

There was no pregnancy. Her mother was never pregnant with her. Yet they had always told her of the morning sickness that seemed to plague her mother for the entirety of the pregnancy. It looked to Hermione that one day she had just arrived. One day she appeared in their lives, a bundle of joy, with the name Hermione. She could tell that it was important to them. That Hermione had to be her name.

 

To Hermione it reeked of magic. Someone had obliviated them and gave them a child that they thought was theirs. With false memories of morning sickness and the importance of the name Hermione.

 

She was confused. Who had left her with them?

 

She walked to her room, packed up her belongings that she had left behind into her Hogwarts trunk. She could hear her mother and father talking about how great an idea it was to move to Australia and re-start their dental practice there. She stepped out the back door as they were huddled around her father's computer buying plane tickets to Australia.

 

She quickly walked through her backyard, trunk shrunken and stuffed in her pocket, beaded bag slung around her chest, thought of The Burrow, and disapparated with a crack.

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The summer after Hermione's 6th year begins with her coming to the realization that she is not her parents' daughter. Follow Hermione as she comes to terms with who she is and where she comes from. The actions of good people are questioned, and people on the other side of the war are not as bad as they seem. Everyone has their secrets.

Hermione was terrified.

They were exhausted and somewhat delirious due to their lack of nutrition for such an extended period of time. They'd slipped up. Forgotten that the name Voldemort was taboo. Snatchers were popping up outside the tent. They had nowhere to go, anti-apparition wards had been put in place as soon as the snatchers had all arrived.

Hermione hit Harry with a stinging hex to his face, and glamoured his hair to be longer. Less Potter trademark, less recognizable. Ron got a beard to his face to hide his Weasley freckles. Hermione glamoured her hair dirty blonde instead of her natural brown and changed the shape of her nose. She hoped it'd be enough to hide them in plain sight.

Greyback sauntered into their tent, followed by other snatchers. They were outnumbered. He smirked at his captives and ordered his colleagues to bring them to headquarters.

They were bound together and brought to Malfoy Manor, the Dark Lord's headquarters. It was Easter break. Draco was there. He was asked to identify who they were, just to be sure, as they appeared to be his age. Easy for him considering he'd been around them ten months out of the year since they were eleven. He knew exactly who they were. Hermione knew it. He hesitated, said he wasn't sure.

Then Bellatrix Lestrange walked in.

_Fuck. ___

__

__She quickly noticed the sword of Gryffindor, stunned the other snatchers and forced Greyback to his knees, held him at wand-point demanding to know where he got the sword._ _

__

__"In the tent," he groaned. "We found it in their tent when we captured them."_ _

__

__The Malfoys were watching from a distance, afraid to get in the way of Bellatrix. Or maybe afraid of Greyback, Hermione couldn't be sure._ _

__

__Bellatrix ordered the prisoners to be split up. "Leave the mudblood, we're going to be talking…girl to girl," she sneered._ _

__

__Harry and Ron snapped. Harry was screaming obscenities at Bellatrix, trying to get her to choose him instead. Ron was begging for her to be spared._ _

__

__Hermione heard the dungeon gate clamp shut. She stood alone staring at her interrogator._ _

__

__Bellatrix smirked. "Crucio!" she shrieked._ _

__

__Hermione dropped to the floor. Muscles contracting. Blood burning. Throat tearing as she screamed._ _

__

__"Hermione!" Ron screamed from the dungeons below._ _

__

__Narcissa looked at Hermione withering around on the floor. Shocked expression on her face._ _

__

__"Where did you get the sword?" Bellatrix screamed. Her back to Narcissa._ _

__

__"We found it…we just found it I swear!" Hermione pleaded._ _

__

__"Liar! This was in my vault. What else did you take?" She bellowed._ _

__

__"Nothing…we haven't been in your vault…we just found it for protection," cried Hermione. Narcissa slowly removed her wand from her sleeve. Her eyes on her sister._ _

__

__"You lie, mudblood filth. Crucio!" Snarled Bellatrix._ _

__

__Hermione twitched and convulsed on the floor. Choking sounds coming from her throat. Her wrists twisted in, her fists clenched. Her nails were cutting into the palms of her hands. Blood._ _

__

__Narcissa had her wand in her hand, her husband watching the mudblood thrash around on the floor of their home. Her son pale, looking faint as his classmate was tortured in front of him._ _

__

__"You lie!" Screamed Bellatrix. "You're full of lies," she climbed on top of Hermione. Her wand pointed at her face, looking her dead in the eyes. The deranged witch flicked her wand over Hermione's head. She could feel the trickle of her glamours being removed. Bellatrix flicked and flicked. Removing glamour after glamour. Her head was building up pressure. More and more pressure as Bellatrix flicked and flicked. She didn't understand. What was taking so long? How difficult was it to remove her glamours?_ _

__

__"Who are you?" Bellatrix muttered, suddenly curious. Like a child opening her presents on Christmas Day. She gasped. Jumped back onto her feet._ _

__

__"Is this a sick joke? Are you tricking me?" She screamed._ _

__

__"CRUCIO"_ _

__

__Hermione screamed. Throat ripping. Back arching. Bladder emptying. Never ending._ _

__

__Suddenly it stopped. Bellatrix was unconscious on the floor. Narcissa standing behind her with her wand raised. Both Lucius and Draco were unconscious, toppled on the ground. Greyback was on his back, unmoving._ _

__

__Narcissa grabbed Hermione's hand, stuck her scarf into it and muttered "portus." Hermione barely conscious._ _

__

__She landed on her back with a thud. Heard quickened steps coming closer to her._ _

__

__"Shit," the unknown male voice said._ _

__

__Then darkness._ _


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The summer after Hermione's 6th year begins with her coming to the realization that she is not her parents' daughter. Follow Hermione as she comes to terms with who she is and where she comes from. The actions of good people are questioned, and people on the other side of the war are not as bad as they seem. Everyone has their secrets.

Hermione could hear someone talking around her.

She was in a bed and someone was holding her hands. Healing them, cleaning them. Muttered healing spells filled her ears. Potions poured down her throat.

She tried opening her eyes and couldn't. She twitched and struggled trying to get up, unable to move.

"Shh...It's okay Hermione. You're safe now and you will be okay. You need to rest." The unknown male voice coaxed her.

Another potion poured down her throat. More darkness.

...

* * *

...

Hermione's eyes opened in a flash.

It was late in the day, judging by the bit of light seeping through the window. Or perhaps early morning. She had no idea where she was.

She was able to raise her head from her pillow and able to move her hands behind her body, pushing herself up into a seated position on the bed. She was sore.

Someone was sitting in the chair next to her bed facing her. Arms tucked in their armpits, chin resting on their chest. Asleep.

It was difficult to make out defining characteristics. The lighting in the room was poor. Dark hair, pale skin. She squinted. His shirt sleeves were rolled up to his elbows. His forearms had scars. Dark magic, Hermione thought. Like the scars left over on Ron from the Department of Mysteries and his attack from the brains. Dark magic, like the mark left on her torso from Dolohov's purple fire. Anything else would have been healed. Dark magic doesn't heal. Not entirely.

"H-Hello?" She stuttered. Voice cracking. Her throat was dry.

The man jerked awake. Grey eyes piercing hers.

"Hermione," he rasped, clearing his throat. "How are you feeling?"

"Sore," Hermione said. "My throat burns, and my body aches," she squinted at him some more. "You look familiar…"

The man lit up the room with a wave of his hand. Conjured her a glass of water. She took it gratefully.

"Small sips," he said.

Hermione nodded, still squinting at him.

He sat there watching her work through her thoughts. Patient.

She took him in. Black hair, grey eyes. Cheekbones that would cut your hand if you slapped him. On the tall side, she thought, as she looked at how he was folded into the chair. Strong. Young. Maybe mid-thirties. He looked like Sirius from the pictures she'd seen before he was locked up in Azkaban…but not quite. _Almost _.__

____

"Regulus?" Hermione questioned. "You're supposed to be dead…"

____

His eyes lit up. "Right in one, Hermione.” He stood and reached for his wand in his pocket.

____

Hermione backed up in the bed. Eyes wide.

____

He stopped. "I promise, I would never hurt you Hermione. I need to see how you are healing. Bellatrix's curse was powerful and you are severely malnourished. I promise, I just need to check what you need, then we will talk for as long as you want. I will tell you everything." He pleaded.

____

"But I'm a mudblood," she tested him, watching his reaction. "You're a Black. Why would you help me?"

____

He looked at her condescendingly, reminding her eerily of Draco Malfoy. "You're not a muggleborn sweetheart, you know that. It was smart thinking sending your parents to Australia. My contact told me you obliviated them. They've no memories of you." Regulus watched her, eyebrow raised.

____

Hermione paled. "What did you do to them?"

____

He held his hands up. "I just made sure they got on their flight. They are safe. No one can find them, you were very thorough with your obliviation…better than me." He conjured a mirror, and handed it to her.

____

She took it, hands shaking. She exhaled and looked into the mirror. Grey eyes stared back at her. Black hair in place of her brown. Pale. She looked up at Regulus.

____

"I need to check to see how you've healed Hermione. After we will talk." He spoke calmly. Patiently.

____

Hermione nodded. Lost for words.

____

Regulus raised his wand and started his checking. Hermione's skin tingled, magic rippling over her, travelling from her head to her toes. He reached over to a table situated next to her bed, grabbed a vial and handed it to her. "This will help with the muscle soreness from prolonged exposure to the cruciatus curse."

____

Hermione downed it, feeling the potion hit her empty stomach. Another vial was handed to her. "This one will heal your throat from screaming, you've ruptured blood vessels. You need more than I initially thought." She downed that one too.

____

Another vial. "This one is a nutrient potion. You are severely malnourished. What were you eating on the run?"

____

She swallowed the contents of the vial. "Mainly mushrooms. Fish if we were by a body of water. Berries."

____

Regulus looked at Hermione, eyes glassy, "Why did you leave Grimmauld Place? Kreacher would've made you lot food?"

____

"We got caught leaving the Ministry. We had got the locket – Slytherin's locket – off Umbridge, but we brought too much attention to ourselves doing it. Yaxley, I think, grabbed on to me as we apparated away. We reached the top step before I could throw him off. He could get in. He saw where we were hiding. We couldn't go back." She looked at Regulus, "Harry told Kreacher to hide at Hogwarts if there was a security breach. He was helping us. Feeding us before we ran." Regulus nodded, and handed her another potion.

____

"For the headache," he said. "It's a side-effect from being released from a long term glamour. Especially one hooked into your core." She drank that one too.

____

Hermione's eyes grew, suddenly remembering. "What about Harry and Ron? Are they okay? Did they make it out?"

____

"Yes, they made it out. They are safe –"

____

"—Are they here?" Hermione interrupted.

____

"No, they are at one of the Order's safe houses. My contacts say they all made it out okay. Luna and Olivander were in the dungeons when you arrived. They got out too. As did the other boy and goblin that were captured just before you were." Regulus finished. "They have been informed that you are okay. That you are in another safe house."

____

"Am I?" Hermione questioned "Am I in another safe house?"

____

"No," Regulus said, sitting back down. "This is not a safe house for the Order, nor is it a safe house for the Death Eaters. This is my house. My home." Hermione nodded.

____

"What happened?" Hermione asked him. "You are supposed to be dead. We found your note in the fake locket. Kreacher said he was ordered to leave you behind."

____

Regulus smirked, proud of his elf. "He was ordered to tell anyone he deemed trustworthy who asked that he left me behind. I didn't go into the cave alone. My cousin, Narcissa came with me. Waited on the shores of the lake as Kreacher and I took the boat across. I drank the potion, Kreacher switched the lockets, Narcissa watched from across the lake. I reached into the lake, delirious...I was so thirsty. Inferi grabbed me, pulled me under. Apparently Kreacher was howling. Narcissa ordered him to apparate her to the island. She got me out of the lake…I don't know how…I woke up weeks later. Everyone thought I had died. That I had tried to get away from the Dark Lord and got tracked down and killed for my cold feet. That I got in too deep and wanted out."

____

"Did you get cold feet, did you want out?" Hermione asked.

____

"I didn't want in in the first place…not really. I did what was expected of me. I was sixteen when I was branded." He showed Hermione his dark mark. Ugly and black on pale skin. "People do stupid things when they are sixteen. I thought that if I did what my family wanted they'd be proud of me. My insecurities as a teenager ended up controlling my life. Marking me for death really."

____

He conjured a glass of water for himself. "My grades in school were top of my year, every year. It still wasn't enough for my mother and father. I was second born in a very traditional pureblood family. The spare." He took a sip. "I was their favourite, absolutely. But only after Sirius rebelled from their teachings. After he was sorted into Gryffindor. Before then I was invisible."

____

He looked at Hermione. "I wanted to be noticed…and at the time the Dark Lord's teachings were not different from what I already knew. What I was already taught. It wasn't a big step." Another sip. "Bit stupid really, now that I am older," he chuckled. Hermione nodded.

____

Hermione opened her mouth and closed it again, hesitating. Regulus looked at her, smiling softly, "it's okay Hermione, just say it."

____

"To get the dark mark…you…you had to kill someone…" Her eyes wide, afraid of what he'd say, but already knowing the truth.

____

Regulus nodded. "I did, yes. I've killed a lot of people. Tortured a lot of people to get information, or to show my power, my worth. It was what was expected of me."

____

"Technically you died when you were eighteen though…Sirius said you died in 1979…I've seen the tapestry. You did all that before you supposedly died?" She questioned.

____

He nodded. "I rose up quickly in the ranks. I am a Black, people were scared of me. I had power that most people could only dream of. I had power that the Dark Lord wanted. He liked to collect the powerful in order to gain more power himself. Much like Slughorn and his Slug Club, really. Just for different purposes." Regulus sipped his water, watching her reaction, "...much like Dumbledore too."

____

Hermione looked down at her hands in her lap, one hand clutching her glass of water. She took a sip, and nodded.

____

Regulus stood up, "Let's go to the kitchen. You need some food in your stomach." He helped Hermione up. She was wearing a men's T-shirt and sweatpants. They walked slowly to the kitchen and sat at the table. A house elf was cooking at the stove.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The summer after Hermione's 6th year begins with her coming to the realization that she is not her parents' daughter. Follow Hermione as she comes to terms with who she is and where she comes from. The actions of good people are questioned, and people on the other side of the war are not as bad as they seem. Everyone has their secrets.

Hermione watched as the little elf brought bowls of soup to both her and Regulus.

"Thank you, Susan," Regulus said, tucking into his soup.

Hermione snorted. "Susan?" She asked with a grin on her face.

Regulus smiled, "When we were kids, Sirius said he thought house elf names were stupid. That if he ever had an elf, he'd call it Susan. One of his many rebellions against pureblood tradition I suppose." He took a sip of soup. "Eat up, Hermione. You need your strength back."

Hermione sipped her soup. It was delicious. "This is wonderful, Susan. Thank you very much."

"Yous are very welcome, Missy Hermione." The little elf squeaked, as she continued to putter about in the kitchen.

"Is Susan your brother's elf?" Hermione asked, as she took another sip of soup.

Regulus looked at her. "No, she is mine. I got her after the cave. Narcissa actually bought her for me. I needed someone to help me and heal me. It took years before I was able to do anything remotely strenuous. Partially due to the potion I drank in the cave, and partially due to the inferi. Narcissa couldn't be here very much. She'd have been killed. Me as well." He took another sip of soup. "Sirius loved her when he came by, after Azkaban."

Hermione looked at him, shocked. "He knew you were alive? After all this time?"

Regulus shook his head. "No, he didn't know about me being alive until after Azkaban. I had heard about him escaping. I knew he wasn't a Death Eater, anyone who knew him then knew that. Or should have." He stopped to take more soup. "I tracked him down when he was on the run…it would have been during your third year. He was unstable. His mind broken from the dementors. He told me to 'fuck off', thought he was losing his mind."

Hermione sipped some soup and watched him as he spoke of his brother. Letting him gather his thoughts.

"Near the end of the school year he sent me an owl. A fluffy little thing, with a letter bigger than it. It zoomed off as soon as I took the letter from it." More soup was eaten.

"Pig," Hermione said. "Pigwidgeon is what Ron's sister named him. Ron hates the name and calls him Pig instead. Sirius wrote Harry and said he got the owl for Ron, because he no longer had a pet rat because of him and he felt kind of bad. Pig met us on the train on the way home that year." She looked at Regulus. "How did you track Sirius down that year? Everyone was looking for him, no one could find more than a few flashes of him heading north to Hogwarts."

"My talents with the Dark Lord and the Death Eaters involved tracking people. I'd hunt people down that were running afraid. Get the information that was needed and disposed of them." He looked down and continued softly, "or I brought them back to the Dark Lord and he questioned them, and either convinced them to join the ranks, or killed them." Regulus looked at Hermione, "I was marked winter break of my sixth year. My birthday is the beginning of January, so I could conveniently kill someone without setting off the trace. Heaven forbid I should do that." More soup. "The summer between sixth and seventh years I spent hunting people. By myself sometimes, or sometimes with others, to learn the trade so to speak. Went back to Hogwarts in September for my final year. Met a girl," he smiled. "Knocked her up…I forgot about the contraceptive spell," He made a face, amusement in his eyes. "I panicked and went home, to Grimmauld Place for Easter Break, and adjusted the tapestry to hide you and your mother, once you were to be born. One of the perks of being the Heir." Hermione smiled softly.

He finished his soup. "Anyway, we got off topic. Pig gave me a letter. It was from my brother, asking if we could meet up somewhere. We eventually decided to meet here. We didn't really trust each other – not at first – but he knew I couldn't turn him in, due to me being supposedly dead and having the Dark Mark on my arm. I knew he wouldn't turn me in because he was a fugitive." Regulus looked at her, "we talked about a lot of things. How I hid, how Narcissa helped me. He told me what had happened the night the Potters' were killed by the Dark Lord. Told me about Peter. Told me about his lack of a trial."

He looked into his hands in his lap, "Sirius thought he was in a holding cell at first, awaiting trial. He thought he'd be able to explain the switch of secret-keepers, once he got to trial. Explain Peter escaping, his animagus form. He didn't realise they stuck him with the lifelong prisoners until Bellatrix, Rabastan, Rodolphus, and Barty Crouch Jr. came in a few weeks later."

Susan set a plate of fruit on the table in front of Hermione, "Eat Missy Hermione, you need to build up your strength. Yous too skinny." Hermione grabbed a piece of melon.

Regulus started on his sandwich. "We talked about how Dumbledore was the Chief Warlock at that time, and how he would have known Sirius hadn't gotten a trial. He said he didn't once visit him when he was in Azkaban. Not that it was required or anything, but considering Sirius helped the Order with so much right out of school, gave them so much information, contacts, families to watch. He was a beacon of information being a Black." He shook his head, and took another bite.

"Do you think Dumbledore was a bad person?" Hermione asked, "Harry and I read the book that was released. Talking about his history, his secrets, and his life before Grindewald's defeat." 

Regulus shook his head again. "No," he said. "I don't think he was another Dark Lord or anything. I think he just liked being the chess master. That he was okay with collateral damage, as long as it was in the name of the Greater Good. As long as he had say and control over his pawns." Regulus looked Hermione in the eyes, "I think once he heard the prophecy nothing would get in his way to make sure it was fulfilled. Sirius would've been in the way if he had Harry. I mean, could you imagine Sirius being okay with Harry being a child soldier?"

Hermione shook her head. "No, I mean he wanted Harry to know what was going on, to protect him from doing something stupid and rash. But I think he would've wanted the adults, the Order, to figure out how to defeat You-Know-Who. To set it up so Harry just had to do the last thing." Regulus nodded.

"Do you know how to defeat him?" He asked Hermione. "You know about his horcruxes. Have you figured out how to destroy them? I couldn't find information anywhere."

Hermione nodded, "In theory, I know how to defeat him. We destroyed the locket. Fiendfyre and basilisk venom work apparently, according to a book Dumbledore gave me. We used the sword of Gryffindor to destroy it. Harry used it to kill the Basilisk in our second year…in the Chamber of Secrets. The sword took in the powers of the venom, due to it being goblin made. He also stabbed the diary that Malfoy had given Ginny with a basilisk fang. The diary was also a horcrux, given to Lucius due to his service, and his standing we think. We don't think he knew what it was, just that it was dark." She looked at Regulus, eyes wide, "Bellatrix thought we stole the sword from her vault…she kept asking me what else we took out of there. Do you think there's one in there?"

Regulus nodded. "I know there is one in there. Me, Lucius and Bellatrix were all together when he gave us items. Or, in my case asked for Kreacher."

Hermione stood up from the table, her men's T-shirt and sweatpants making her look tiny. "We have to go get it then. We can break in!" She exclaimed.

Regulus laughed. "That's not happening any time soon, if at all. Sit down Hermione, finish your fruit. You need your strength before we do anything at all."

She sat back down, grabbed some grapes, popped one in her mouth and raised a brow. Regulus snickered.

"I need to talk to my contact in the Order before we do anything at all. We need to figure out what your friends are doing." Said Regulus, starting on his sandwich again.

Hermione scrunched her eyebrows together in thought. "Who is your contact in the Order?"

"Remus," Regulus smiled. "Sirius got me in contact with him if anything should happen to him. From my contact with Narcissa, I've been giving him some information to help out. I can't tell him everything, I do have to protect my cousin. But we have been feeding each other information from both sides ever since. I am the spy no one knows about."


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The summer after Hermione's 6th year begins with her coming to the realization that she is not her parents' daughter. Follow Hermione as she comes to terms with who she is and where she comes from. The actions of good people are questioned, and people on the other side of the war are not as bad as they seem. Everyone has their secrets.

"How long have I been here?" Hermione asked, as she finished up her fruit. Regulus sat with her until she finished, refusing to allow her to leave the table until she was done her dinner.

"Just a day," he said. "You came here last night, and were unconscious as I tried to heal you. I also gave you a dreamless sleep potion so you wouldn't move and tear any muscles. The cruciatus curse can lead to tightness in the muscles afterwards, and I didn't want you to overexert yourself too soon."

Hermione nodded.

"How are you feeling now that the potions have kicked in and you have some food in your stomach?" Regulus asked.

"Still sore," Hermione responded. "But not as bad as I felt before dinner."

Regulus nodded. "I didn't want to give you too strong a dose of potions. It can make you groggy and confused, and I didn't want that to happen. I wanted you to have a clear head when you woke up."

Hermione agreed, that was reasonable thinking considering where she was and who she was with.

"Where are we exactly?" She asked. "I mean, I know we are in your home, but where is that? Are we still in England?"

Regulus nodded. "Yes, I live in England still. We are quite isolated from everyone though. I have muggle repelling charms everywhere and wards set up so we won't be noticed by anyone magical. This place looks like a rundown, abandoned house in a forest from the outside. No one wants to check it out. The joys of magic," he smiled.

Hermione nodded and gave her father a small smile.

Hermione hesitated before speaking. "Can…can I ask you another question?"

"Of course, Hermione. I don't want any secrets between us. You can ask me anything," Regulus responded.

She gave him a short nod, "You mentioned earlier, that you met a girl in your seventh year. That you met my mother in your seventh year. Who was she? How come I've never met her? Why was I placed with the Grangers, with the only parents that I know?"

Regulus nodded at Hermione, "That's more than 'a question'," he laughed. "But let's find somewhere more comfortable to sit. It's kind of a long story." He helped her up out of her chair and they walked to the living room.

"Susan," Regulus called. "Can you make Hermione and me some tea please?"

"Of course, Master Regulus!" Susan called from the kitchen. "Coming right up."

Regulus and Hermione both sat on a couch. Hermione took in her surroundings. It was a small, cozy looking room. There was a large fireplace in front of her. The light from the flames gave off a warm, inviting feeling. On either side of the fireplace there were built-in bookcases, stuffed full of books. Hermione could see a few titles she recognised from Flourish & Blotts during her back-to-school shopping. She'd looked at a few of them during her shopping trips, always making sure she would purchase something outside of her studies, be it another topic in the magical world that wasn't taught at Hogwarts or fiction novels. There were windows to her left, the front of the house, which looked through some trees. She could see a narrow driveway, weeds and shrubbery grown in, hiding it from obvious view to outsiders.

She turned to look at the other wall behind her. A desk sat pushed up against the wall, a quill and ink well visible on the surface. There were old Daily Prophet copies on the desk, maybe one or two. She noticed the picture of Umbridge on the front of one, wearing the locket. On the other there was a headline stating that there had been a break-in at the ministry the day her, Harry and Ron stole the locket and that witnesses were sought.

Susan hobbled in with tea and biscuits on a tray. Regulus thanked her, and began pouring tea for both himself and Hermione.

"How do you take your tea, Hermione?" He asked, looking up from his pouring.

"Just a bit of milk, please."

Regulus nodded, finished pouring and added a bit of milk. He handed Hermione her cup and started on his own. He finished his with a bit of milk and two huge scoops of sugar, looking at his daughter as she snickered at the amount of sugar he put in. He fought a grin, but refused to comment, and took a sip.

"Your mother and I were sort of study buddies in our seventh year. She knew of me before we started studying together, but I didn't know her. She was a Ravenclaw. Her parents were both muggleborn, Ravenclaw as well apparently. I never met them. They didn't know about me and their daughter. Her name was Madeleine Erickson. She was an only child, her parents were healers at St. Mungo's. I know that they were in their thirties when they had Madeleine. I know that they were very career oriented; focused on work and not really on their child. They weren't abusive or anything – not like my mother and father – but at the same time, they had no idea what their daughter was doing. Who she was hanging out with. Who her study buddy was." He took a sip of his tea. Hermione did the same.

"Anyway, I was trying to focus on my studies while I was at school. I found them to be a sort of escape to what I was involved in outside of the classroom. We sat at the same table in the library for the first few weeks of school. I don't think I really noticed her, she was just there. She was really good at blending in, not drawing attention to herself." Regulus looked at Hermione, making sure she was following along.

"You have to understand that during that time, having muggleborn parents was viewed as being the same as being muggleborn yourself. You were viewed as unbelonging, as filth, as not being good enough. Most students didn't advertise that they were muggleborn out of fear of retaliation. Lily Evans, Harry's mother was one of the exceptions to that rule. And rightfully so, she was a formidable witch. People were scared of her, she knew how to defend herself." Regulus paused, taking a sip of tea.

"Most muggleborn students and those with muggleborn parents got through their seven years by not being exceptional. Having grades good enough, but not the best. Having some friends, but not a lot. It was like people were afraid to…I don't know…overstep their boundaries or something." He looked at Hermione as she sipped her tea. "Does that make sense? Am I painting a clear picture?" He asked.

She nodded. "I think Draco Malfoy's hatred of me fits into that frame. He always seemed angry that I'd beat him on assignments. He'd call me a mudblood in retaliation a lot of the times, in class or as we were leaving. Harry and Ron only heard him say it a few times to me. In all honesty, it was probably an everyday occurrence."

Regulus nodded. "Did you want me to kick his arse when I get the chance?"

Hermione laughed, "No, he refused to identify us at Malfoy Manor when we were caught. He knew exactly who we were and he said he wasn't sure. He bought us time." Regulus had a surprised expression on his face.

"That's good to know," he smiled. "Anyway, back to your mother. We sat at the same table for a few weeks. Ravenclaw and Slytherin usually get along relatively well, historically speaking. I didn't have a problem with her there, and no one else did either. I didn't know about her parents being muggleborn until after we started seeing each other. She was very secretive about it. Understandably so, I'm a Black, and I was a Death Eater. That fact wasn't advertised in school – that I had been marked – but it was one of those things that most people could put two and two together on." He sipped his tea, and munched on a biscuit. "She started talking to me one day. Asked me a question about her transfiguration homework that she was working on. I ended up helping her with her homework. We eventually got into a rhythm where we would always work together at that table, each of us asking each other questions about our homework."

Regulus grabbed another biscuit, bit into it. "She made me feel normal and I think that I made her feel like she wasn't invisible. She didn't have really any friends, not close ones anyway. Students would ask her for help on their homework, but nothing else. Nothing ever personal. Ever. Just homework help, and they'd leave her alone after she helped them. I asked her what her parents did for a living one day, I think I was the first person to ask her in the seven years she was there. She started crying as she told me they were healers. Then she gave me the biggest hug." Regulus smiled at the memory. "We started hanging out after that, dating I suppose, in secret of course, but we were together."

Regulus watched Hermione wipe her cheeks as she grabbed a biscuit. She nodded to him, and he continued. "Madeleine got word that her parents had contracted Dragon Pox during their work as healers at St. Mungo's, there had been a bad outbreak that year. It was the same strain that killed James Potters' parents. It was vicious, and it worked quickly. Her parents died just before Winter Break, a week after they initially contracted it. The healers couldn't move fast enough, the potions at the time weren't good enough." He took a sip of his tea. "I convinced my mother that I had to stay at Hogwarts over break, I said I needed to study for my NEWTS. Somehow the Dark Lord left me alone too…I don't know why or how that happened. But I stayed at school with Madeleine. She had left for a couple of days at the end of term to arrange some things with her parents' deaths, but she stayed at Hogwarts for the entirety of the break. She had nowhere else to go."

Regulus looked at Hermione, trying desperately not to be awkward. "Some stuff happened." Hermione snickered, Regulus grinned. "And the first month into the new term she told me she was pregnant." Regulus nodded to himself. "I panicked. I mean we were just kids really. We were trying to figure out what to do. I knew that no one could find out about Madeleine or you. Not my mother or father. Not the Dark Lord. No one. It wasn't safe. I knew that if anyone found out about you that the Dark lord would have held you over my head. He would have made you a soldier once you were old enough. Much like what's happened with Draco Malfoy."

Hermione nodded at that. It made sense.

"Like I said before, I went home for Easter break, adjusted the Black Family tapestry. Because Madeleine and I weren't married, she wouldn't show up on there until she gave birth to a Black child, to my child. I had blocked that from happening. I need to go back one day and release the spell, but for now I am going to keep you hidden." Regulus looked at his daughter, gauging her reaction.

"We can go back after the war is over, after You-Know-Who is gone and buried." Hermione stated.

Regulus nodded in agreement, smiling at his daughter.

"I had access to the Black Family vaults at Gringotts," Regulus continued, "I took out some money, a lot really, but hardly noticeable to anyone with access to the vault. I wanted Madeleine to be comfortable. She had no one. Her parents gave her some money, but not enough to survive on without working. Because they were muggleborn, they didn't have a lot of history at Gringotts. No family fortune to live off of. Their St. Mungo's wage was shit to be honest, so they couldn't save up a lot while paying for their home and other expenses."

Regulus drank some more tea. "I found this place during Easter Break. Warded it to the nines and figured we could move here and raise you. That we could hide until everything was over." Regulus looked into his lap. "Madeleine was able to hide the pregnancy…I think maybe Madam Pomfrey knew about it. But I know she had no idea that I was the father. Madeleine refused to tell her. We graduated in June. She hid here. I went to Grimmauld Place. I visited her when I could. I continued my work with the Dark Lord while looking for a way out."

Hermione grabbed a biscuit, enthralled by the story. Wanting to know everything she could about her mother.

"Early July, the Dark Lord summoned myself, Bellatrix and Lucius. He asked me for a house elf for the evening. I gave him Kreacher to borrow. He was always loyal to me. The following morning Kreacher appeared in my bedroom in really rough shape. I thought he was going to die. I coaxed it out of him what had happened. What the Dark Lord made him do. I tried to heal Kreacher as best I could. Then I went to the Black library to figure out what the Dark Lord was doing." Regulus shook his head. "The only conclusion that I could come to was horcruxes. There was nothing else it could be. In future meetings that summer he would brag about how no one could kill him, how he was invincible. Fucking bastard. The arrogant prick…" Regulus shook his head to clear his train of thoughts.

"Narcissa and I were always close. I both of us being the youngest in our families brought us closer I think." Regulus said. "She is like a big sister to me. I feel like I could tell her stuff that no one else knew about. I think at that time during the summer she knew I wanted out. But she also knew it was impossible without death." He finished his tea and placed his cup on the tray. "She told me she and Lucius were trying to have a kid, but she was scared of what would happen to it if the Dark Lord was still around." He looked at Hermione, "She kept mentioning stuff like 'if the Dark Lord was alive still' or if things were 'still the same'. She was very careful with who she said that around…no one but me I think. I vaguely mentioned the horcrux. She's smart, and a Black, she knew what I was getting at. She had a good idea. I said I think I knew where one was. Maybe more. And that I was thinking of getting it, and figuring out a way to get rid of it. That was the beginning of September."

Regulus reached for Hermione's hands. "Your mother went into labour late in the day on the 17th of September, here. I was with her. I stayed with her the whole time. It was a really difficult labour for her. She refused to go to St. Mungo's. We couldn't. The Dark Lord had people there much like he does now. It took a lot out of her…too much." He looked at Hermione, tears in his eyes. "You were born in the early hours of the 19th, after over 36 hours of labour. Madeleine lost a lot of blood…I didn't have enough blood replenishing potion on me. I had no idea it would be that bad," he whispered.

Hermione had tears streaming down her cheeks. She had known something had happened to her mother, but to have it confirmed was like a knife stabbing into her gut. She reached up to her father and hung onto him as she cried. Regulus held her and kept muttering in her ear that he was sorry and that it was his fault she had died.

Hermione and Regulus held each other, trying to comfort each other for their loss. Eventually they broke apart.

"You had bright grey eyes and thick black hair already. You looked like a Black. I couldn't keep you here, it wasn't safe. I wasn't safe," Regulus choked out. "I found the Granger's later that day. They were leaving an adoption agency, and I followed them to their home. I had you with me, in a carrier on my chest, and I obliviated them with you right there in my arms. They had a nursery there already, I placed you in the crib and placed a long term glamour on you. Removable only by force. I walked out of your room, out the door, and disapparated away on the street corner. I walked out of your life, I left you behind. I am sorry."

Hermione took him in for another hug. "I understand your reasoning, I understand why you did it. I agree with what you did. I don't blame you for anything…please know that," she begged. "You did what you had to do in order to survive. In order to make sure that I survived."

Regulus nodded, eyes bloodshot. "I met up with Narcissa a few days later, we went over our plan. We went to the cave the next day, we had to move fast. I felt I had nothing left to lose. I honestly didn't expect to survive it. But she got me out of there. She got me here. She got Susan, so that I wouldn't be alone, that I would be healed. She had to go back to Lucius. She couldn't draw attention to herself." Regulus paused. "I was unconscious for almost a month. I wasn't answering my summons, and eventually word got around that I tried to run. That I was killed on the Dark Lords orders. Narcissa helped spread the rumours apparently. She visited me in December of that year, I was bedridden, and she told me she was pregnant. She was scared. I told her about you. I told her that Madeleine and I had agreed on the name Hermione, and that I had hidden you with muggles. She told no one else."


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The summer after Hermione's 6th year begins with her coming to the realization that she is not her parents' daughter. Follow Hermione as she comes to terms with who she is and where she comes from. The actions of good people are questioned, and people on the other side of the war are not as bad as they seem. Everyone has their secrets.

It was late when Regulus and Hermione finished talking. After a quick shower, Hermione returned to her bedroom, exhausted from everything she had learned. She was just pulling back the covers, getting ready to climb back into bed when Regulus knocked on her door. "Come in," she said.

Regulus poked his head in the doorway. "I just wanted to make sure you took some more potions. Some pain potion for your aches and pains," he walked in and reached to the table housing various vials of potions. Grabbed one and handed it to her. She drank it down. "Also another nutrient potion," he handed her another vial. She swallowed it too, and handed back the vials. "I really don't want to give you anymore dreamless sleep, it's highly addictive. Do you think you'll be okay without it?" He looked at Hermione, waiting for her response.

She nodded. "I think so, yes." She looked at the potion table a bit closer. There were numerous potions waiting in stasis; waiting for someone to need them. "Sure have a lot of potions here," she said, making eye contact with Regulus.

He looked at his feet braking the eye contact, half smiled and responded, "I didn't want to ever run out of potions again. Not if I could help it. It also keeps my mind sharp, being out here."

"Have you remained all alone out here for almost 20 years?" Hermione asked, shocked.

Regulus shook his head. "I have a running supply of polyjuice potion…and some hair from an old muggle man and a few others that I stole from a while back. I go into town, or Diagon Alley as different people," he smiled at Hermione. "That's a story for another day though, you need your rest…so do I," he turned, wished her goodnight, and softly closed her door.

Exhausted, Hermione slipped into bed, and was out before her head hit the pillow.

...

* * *

...

Hermione woke to a knocking on her door. "Hermione, time to wake up. There is someone here who'd love to see you," Regulus called through the door.

"Okay, I'll be there in a minute," Hermione called out. She quickly got out of bed. Reached into her beaded bag and pulled out a change of clothes. She finished tugging on her shirt as she opened the door of her room.

Hermione could hear hushed talking from the living room, and walked down the hallway in that direction. On the couch there were two men sitting, chatting with each other. One Regulus, the other someone Hermione hadn't seen since the summer.

"Remus!" Hermione cried out. She rushed to him as he stood up, and engulfed him in a massive hug.

Remus hugged her back just as enthusiastically. "Hermione," he rasped. "How have you been? Are you feeling better? Harry and Ron and the others are worried about you," he smiled down at her.

Hermione beamed. "I am doing better, yes. Still sore, but my headache is gone now. Which is nice." She looked at Remus critically, with narrowed eyes. "Have you gotten over yourself and gotten back together with Tonks?"

Remus nodded, looking ashamed of his behaviour. "Yeah, I got the picture eventually. Our baby is due any day now," he replied, looking both terrified but excited all the same. Hermione gave him a short nod.

Regulus smiled at them, then stood up from the couch and walked down the hallway to her room. He returned holding three vials of potions for Hermione.

She looked at them quizzically. "Three?" she asked.

"I'm going to give you a double dose of nutrient potion. The quicker you'll get better and up to strength," he smiled at her. "We can't stay in hiding forever. I'm starting to get tired of it," he winked at her.

Hermione laughed in response, and downed the three vials.

Remus was watching the interacting between father and daughter, smiling. "Harry and Ron want to know where you are, Hermione. What did you want me to tell them?"

Hermione looked at Remus, nodding. "Tell Harry that I am with my father. He knows about me obliviating my parents – the Grangers – and finding out that they weren't my biological parents. That they'd been obliviated before." Remus nodded. "But can you tell Ron that I am at a safe house?" she looked at Remus questioningly.

Remus looked at her – wide-eyed – and slowly nodded. "Ron knows that I obliviated my parents, but he doesn't know anything else about it. He left us for a few months. Walked out of the tent, and left me and Harry alone to fend for ourselves. I trust him, he is my friend, but I want to keep it close to my chest right now. He really hurt me. He really hurt us – both me and Harry. I want to have a talk with him alone, about some of the stuff that has happened in the past. But not right now," said Hermione. She looked down at a spot on the floor between the three of them.

"Does that make me a bad person? To keep this from him…for now?" Hermione asked, looking between Remus and Regulus. "I honestly think he is going to over-react. That he'll demand to know who my father is. Harry will know to give me time. He knows I'll tell him who, when I am ready and I know that he is okay with that. I know that he will understand," she looked back up, making eye contact with Remus and Regulus.

"Are you ashamed of me?" asked Regulus. "I mean…I agree that no one can know the identity of me right now. But are you ashamed I am your father?"

Hermione was already shaking her head as soon as he started talking. "I am not at all ashamed. I am quite proud actually," she smiled at him. "But, I have a feeling once everyone figures out who my father is, Ron will freak out. He'll explode. I want to talk with him before that happens. To set some ground rules about how he treats his friends." Hermione squished her eyebrows together in thought. "I wanted to talk to him before we were captured – when he came back to us – but, I didn't know what to say without angering him. Harry was so happy he was back…I didn't want to be the Grinch." Remus nodded in agreement.

"The Grinch?" Regulus asked. "What's a Grinch? I mean I can guess what you mean…" he tapered off.

Hermione smiled at him. "He's a character from a muggle story book." Regulus nodded in understanding, smiling at his daughter.

"Did you want to tell Harry about who your father is?" Remus asked them both. "I think he would probably take it pretty well."

"NO!" Hermione exclaimed. "I think there is something with his scar…You-Know-Who can get in his head, give him false memories…that's how Sirius died. I don't want You-Know-Who to be able to see this thought from Harry. I mean, he hasn't been in Harry's head since fifth year, as far as I know, but I don't want to take any chances. Harry still sees into his thoughts from time to time, when You-Know-Who is really emotional." She looked at Regulus. He was looking at Hermione, putting pieces together. "Now that I know who my father is – the identity of my father – I want to keep it a secret the longest I can. I think I want it to be a surprise for everyone when the time comes. Our 'ace up our sleeve', if you will." Hermione finished with narrowed eyes.

Regulus was smirking. "How very Slytherin of you." Remus tried to hide a laugh, and ended up getting smacked in the arm by Hermione.

"Well, what can I say, my father was a Slytherin. I must have picked up a few things from him." Hermione responded as she sat down on the couch.

Regulus and Remus sat on either side of her on the couch. "What is the plan now with everything?" she asked them. She looked to Remus. "Has Harry said anything about what we were doing on the run?"

Remus shook his head. "Bill said that he refuses to say anything, both him and Ron. They are being very hush hush with everything. Bill said that he keeps talking with Olivander, asking him about wands – myths about wands. Which reminds me…" Remus reached into his jacket pocket, and pulled out Hermione's wand and handed it to her. "Narcissa gave it to Harry as she let them out of the dungeons. She gave them all of their wands, plus Draco's, Bellatrix's and Greyback's."

Hermione beamed at him and slid the wand into her pocket. She looked to Regulus. "Do you think we should tell him what we were doing on the run? Dumbledore said to keep it a secret, that it was just for the three of us to know…but what do you think?" she asked.

Regulus pushed all the air out of his lungs and looked at Remus. He took a deep breath and said, "I think Remus needs to know…but I don't think everyone in the Order needs to know. Bill's probably safe. He might actually be able to help as he is a curse breaker. But I am not sure about anyone else." Hermione nodded in agreement. "Why don't you tell Remus. I'll fill in the blanks if need be."

"Okay," said Hermione. "Harry, Ron and I were searching for horcruxes, You-Know-Who's horcruxes." She looked to Remus, "Do you know what a horcrux is?" she asked him.

Remus raked through his brain, going through everything he knew about the Dark Arts. "They are pieces of souls, aren't they? Objects with bits of soul in them? They are really Dark Magic…" he looked to both Regulus and Hermione.

"There is dark magic, then there are horcruxes…they are beyond what one would consider to be Dark Magic or Dark Arts. They are the darkest of dark, blackest of black. I had trouble finding information in the Black Family library at Grimauld Place, and that's saying something." Regulus responded. "I've done a lot of horrible things as a Death Eater, but what one would have to do to create one of those, is far beyond anything most loyal Death Eaters would do."

Remus nodded in understanding.

"So Harry, Ron and I were hunting these horcruxes down." Hermione continued. "Yes, horcruxes, plural. You-Know-Who made more than one. They are what is keeping him alive. What kept him alive when he went after the Potters in 1981." She stopped, making sure Remus was still following along. "We've destroyed one – Slytherin's Locket – the one that Regulus found in 1979. Harry destroyed the diary in his second year, in the Chamber of Secrets. The diary that Lucius Malfoy gave to Ginny Weasley. The diary that possessed her. It was a piece of You-Know-Who's soul doing that."

Hermione stopped to gather her thoughts. "When Bellatrix was torturing me, she thought we had been in her vault. She kept asking what else we took out of there." She looked to Regulus, "Regulus and I think there is another in the Lestrange vault in Gringotts."

Regulus interrupted, "It was a goblet, a cup. Hufflepuff's cup I think." He looked to Hermione, "I wonder if there is something of Ravenclaw that he has put a horcrux in…it'd make sense. Slytherin, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw. We need to ask a Ravenclaw or someone with knowledge of the Ravenclaw legend."

Hermione gasped and reached for Regulus' hand, "Luna! Luna is a Ravenclaw, I bet she'd know something. Is she still at the Order safe house with everyone else?" she asked Remus.

"Yes, she is still there," he answered. "I'll ask her if there was anything that Ravenclaw had that went missing, or had some sort of legend behind it, and we can work from there," he nodded.

"I need a quill," Hermione said, as she stood up and went to Regulus' desk. She grabbed his quill, ink well and a piece of parchment. She walked over to the bookshelf and grabbed a book to write on and sat back down on the couch. Regulus took the inkwell from her, opened it and held it for her as she began to write. Hermione started a list of the possible horcruxes, and those that were already destroyed. "Slytherin's locket – done," she said. "Diary – done; Gaunt ring – done by Dumbledore; Hufflepuff cup, Ravenclaw thing…what else?" she looked at Regulus.

"Narcissa said that snake follows him everywhere…it could be that too…" he hesitated. "What about Harry?" He asked Remus and Hermione. "He shouldn't be able to see into the Dark Lords head without being with him. It sounds like Legilimency without being around him, which should be impossible unless there was a connection."

"I was thinking something along those lines too…it makes the most sense. He is also a parseltongue; it's how he opened the Chamber of Secrets," Hermione looked at Remus. "Do you agree? Or are we out to lunch?" she asked him.

"How do we get rid of the horcrux in Harry? Assuming there is one. It makes sense, yes. But how do you get it out of him without killing him? Without hurting him? Is it possible?" Remus questioned them, not wanting to know the answer.

Regulus spoke softly. "How about we deal with that one last, maybe we will figure out a way to remove it when the time is right…"

They all nodded in agreement.

"We can destroy the horcruxes with either fiendfyre or basilisk venom. The latter of which is in the Chamber of Secrets. We need to get to that snake. Does Harry have the sword of Gryffindor, or was it left behind at Malfoy Manor?" Hermione asked Remus.

"Yes, he has it still. Narcissa gave it to him when she gave them their wands back," said Remus.

"So fiendfyre, basilisk venom, and the sword then, will destroy them," Hermione said, writing her notes on the subject.

"How are we going to get the cup out of the Lestrange vault?" Remus asked them.

"I have an idea…stupid idea, but it is there," Regulus said slowly. Hermione and Remus looked at him, waiting for him to continue. Regulus hesitated. "I can get my contact with the Death Eaters to get some Lestrange hair. Narcissa is my contact," he said to Remus, who looked surprised. "I can see if she can get some off Rabastan or Rodolphus, and I can go in to get it."

" _We _can go in to get it," Hermione corrected him. "Horcruxes react badly to people, you are not going in alone. We need two people there." Regulus went to interrupt her, Hermione put up her hand stopping him. "Rabastan or Rodolphus, that is – you, can go in and I can go with you pretending I am a new recruit or something. Someone from Eastern Europe. I need a disguise, but we can do that; get in, get it and walk away before they even know we've taken it."__

____

"What about Griphook? The goblin that was brought to Malfoy Manor with Dean," Remus asked them. "Would he be of any help?"

"I don't know why he would help us, there is nothing in it for him. He'd need something to help us and I wouldn't give him back the Sword of Gryffindor," said Regulus. "We will probably need that."

____

Hermione and Remus hummed in agreement.

____

"How long will it take for Narcissa to get the hair from one of the Lestranges?" Remus asked Regulus.

____

"It'll take a bit of time. I have to contact her, and then the Lestranges have to be at Malfoy Manor for her to get it. She is not really allowed to leave the place. The Dark Lord appears to be holding her and Lucius hostage in a way. They are not in good standing with everything that has happened in the last couple of years. With the escape of everyone, he is extremely angry at them. He is taking it out on them by holding them hostage…among other things," Regulus looked troubled. "But she will get the hair. Narcissa wants him dead and gone just as much as everyone else." He nodded to himself.

____

"How do you get in contact with her?" Hermione asked him.

____

"The same way I get into contact with Remus," Regulus smiled at her. "Sirius made a couple more of those two-way mirrors he and James used during their separate detentions. He gave me a few before he died. It's safer than sending an owl or calling via floo. They've been updated though. Instead of having to call out to get their attention, I can send them a sort of vibration through the mirror and it lets them know I need to talk to them. She'll get back to me when it is safe for her to do so."

____

Hermione looked in wonder at the genius of it all. "Why haven't the mirrors been mass produced? It is so much easier to communicate with anyone, instead of floo calling or owling." She shook her head. "Sirius and Mr. Potter would've made a killing selling those."

____

Remus smiled and nodded in agreement.

____

"We need to train you Hermione. Harry needs training too, and Ron I suppose. All the kids at the safe house need to be trained how to duel properly. Just in case. We need to be prepared in case we can't get out of Gringotts without someone noticing," said Regulus. "I'm not talking about classroom dueling either. The Death Eaters will fight dirty, you all need to learn how to do that too."

____

Remus nodded to him. "I'll get right on it. Maybe get Bill to teach them, Fleur too. I may be able to stop by a few times. But Dora is really close to giving birth. I need to be there, too."

____

"Absolutely," said Regulus. "You need to go back to her. Spend time with her. Hermione and I got it on this end. I'll keep you informed of what is going on via the mirror. I'll let you know when we will be going into Gringotts, so we are all prepared in case it goes wrong." He stood up, Hermione and Remus following suit.

____

Hermione reached up to Remus and gave him another hug and a kiss on the cheek. "You're going to be a great father, Remus. I am so proud of you," she smiled at him.

____

Remus smiled shyly, a bit of colour in his cheeks. "Thanks, Hermione. That means a lot." He nodded in goodbye to Regulus. Remus turned and grabbed a pinch of floo powder, stepped into the fireplace, and disappeared in the green flames.

____

"I need to talk to Narcissa," Regulus said to Hermione. "Why don't you get some breakfast and I'll meet you in the kitchen in a few minutes."

____

"Okay. Please thank Narcissa for me. For everything she has done. She saved my life," Hermione said.

____

She walked into the kitchen, and started chatting with Susan.

____

Regulus walked to his bedroom down the hallway. He reached into the drawer of his nightstand beside his bed and took out his mirror. He sent a vibration to Narcissa's mirror and waited sitting on his bed.

____

Almost instantly Narcissa responded. "Regulus," she said. Regulus looked at her in the mirror. Her bottom lip was swollen and cracked. She had a swollen eye and bruises of what looked like hand prints wrapping around her neck.

____

"Narcissa, what did they do to you?" He looked at her with pity.

____

"You know Death Eaters, Regulus. You know what the Dark Lord orders them to do to people who have displeased him. I'll be okay. I have an elf getting me some healing potion." She said in response, calmly. Looking every bit the Black – one who never forgets who wronged her. "What did you need?"

____

Regulus nodded at her, admiring her response. "Rabastan or Rodolphus' hair. I need it for polyjuice potion. Is there a way for you to get out of the manor to get it to me with no one noticing?"

____

"I've lived here a lot longer than the Dark Lord. I know my way around. Know my secret passages out of this place better than him that's for sure. Last I heard Rabastan and Rodolphus were out of the country getting more followers and sympathizers for the Dark Lord. He's trying to build up a bigger army. I am not sure when they'll be back. But I will get the hair for you no problem. Any preference of Lestrange brother, dear Regulus?" Narcissa asked, half a grin on her face.

____

"Probably Rabastan...Rodolphus tends to stick by Bellatrix when they are together. She can't catch you," Regulus looked at her through the mirror pointedly.

____

"Do I even want to know what you need it for?" Narcissa asked him, waving his concern off.

____

"I'm going to break into Gringotts," Regulus smiled at her.

____

Narcissa put her hand to her lips in a move to stop her laugh from erupting. "Boys," she shook her head. "I'll let you know when it's done. I've got to go. Talk to you soon." She signed off.

____

Regulus placed the mirror back in his nightstand drawer. He stood up and walked to the kitchen. It was time for breakfast.

____


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The summer after Hermione's 6th year begins with her coming to the realization that she is not her parents' daughter. Follow Hermione as she comes to terms with who she is and where she comes from. The actions of good people are questioned, and people on the other side of the war are not as bad as they seem. Everyone has their secrets.

Regulus and Hermione sat at the kitchen table together as they both finished their breakfast. Regulus turned to Hermione. "Do you think you are up for some practice dueling?" he asked her.

"I think so," Hermione replied.

"You're not too sore?" Regulus checked with his daughter, just to make sure.

"I am okay right now. What will we be doing exactly? How hard will we be dueling? Where?" Hermione asked him.

"The basement is set up as a dueling room. The door at the end of the hallway leads down to the basement. I don't think you are ready for anything too strenuous, but we need to figure out where you are in regards to your abilities," answered Regulus.

"I was the highest ranked student in my year," Hermione replied. "Well, behind Harry in defence, I suppose. But I do know my stuff. I am top in every other class." Hermione finished indignantly.

Regulus smiled at her. "I am not talking about the classroom, Hermione. It's very different being in battle with someone, fighting to the death. That's what you need to prepare for. If we get caught leaving Gringotts, if something happens and we need to fight against Death Eaters – against really bad people – you will be fighting to the death." Hermione went to open her mouth to reply.

Regulus stopped her, continuing. "I'm not saying you'll need to kill people; that you'll need to Avada them – I hope you never have to do that – but…you have to realize they will be trying to do that to you." He looked at her pointedly. "You need to be able to defend yourself and handle yourself so that you can take them out before they do that. Death Eaters like to play, dueling is fun for most of them, and you'll need to stop them before they decide to finish the duel. Do you understand what I am getting at?" he asked.

Hermione nodded, subdued.

"What do you think your weaknesses are? Not just Defence Against the Dark Arts, everything. What are your weaknesses? Everyone has them…" Regulus prompted her.

Hermione thought to herself, hesitant. "I think I rely on the textbook too much. Harry is able to apply what he has learned in defence to practical situations – he's had to. I tend to focus on exactly the proper way to do a spell or proper footing for spell casting. I can hold my own against most people. However, it's also what got me hurt at the Department of Mysteries with Dolohov's purple fire curse. I was too proper. I tried to be perfect and I didn't get a chance to defend myself," she finished.

Regulus smiled at her. "I wouldn't be too hard on yourself, Dolohov should have killed you, his curse should have but it didn't. How did you survive it?" he asked her, truly curious.

"I had silenced him, he was yelling out our location, we were trying to hide from the Death Eaters, and I silenced him. He got angry and retaliated by sending his curse towards me non-verbally. I assume it wasn't strong enough to kill as a result," she answered.

Regulus nodded at her. "You were very lucky he was in Azkaban for so long…his magic at that time was weaker."

Hermione nodded in understanding.

"It sounds like you have to think before you cast something. Can you cast without thinking, can you do what just comes naturally. I don't necessarily mean doing it non-verbally, although that is a plus. I mean does spell casting feel natural to you, or is it something that is odd, uncomfortable for you?" Regulus asked her, curious about her answer.

"It is slightly strange to me. I feel comfortable in the classroom, it feels natural there. But outside of the classroom it feels…I don't know…forced almost. I mean like I said, I can hold my own, but I feel like I am fighting to do that…does that make sense?" Hermione asked her father.

Regulus nodded. "Absolutely," he stood up from his chair. "Grab a hair tie, let have some fun," he smiled at her.

Hermione went to her room grabbed a hair tie out of her beaded bag, and tied her hair in a messy bun on the top of her head. "Put on some shoes too," Regulus called out. "I'll meet you in the basement."

...

* * *

...

Regulus walked down the stairs to his basement. The lanterns flickering on as he descended further into the room. His haven. His home. He exhaled, pushing all the air out in an attempt to control his emotions. Focused. Dueling – he loved it. It was one of the reasons why he initially agreed to sign up with the Death Eaters. He loved fighting. Loved the rush it gave him. Sure, he did it to gain his parents support, to get their respect. But the fact was, the fighting was something he actually looked forward to way-back-when. The power it gave him. The power it made him feel. He wondered if it was a Black family trait, Bellatrix felt it too. Sirius as well.

He knew it was one of the reasons Sirius died in the Department of Mysteries. He wanted to go down in a fight. A duel to the death. Not locked up in a house. A prison, much like Azkaban. He was just a little rusty from the years of no practice. That and probably a little drunk. Regulus shook his head. Dumbledore killed his brother. Slowly. First Azkaban, although Sirius got out, he was damaged. Then forcing him into that awful house. The one thing Sirius despised almost as much as the Dark Lord. Sirius' own personal prison.

Hell, Regulus hated that place, and he had agreed with most of what his parents taught him when he lived there. It wasn't until after Madeleine got pregnant, that he began to question what he was taught. He didn't understand how someone could be so perfect and not be a pureblood. It didn't make sense with any of the teachings he had endured. When Hermione had been born, he realised that blood really didn't matter. She was beautiful. She was half-blood and absolutely beautiful. She was perfect. She still was. He would do anything to protect her. He would do anything for her, no hesitation.

Regulus knew that the chances of finishing the Dark Lord would probably only happen in battle. He hoped to kill Bellatrix in that battle. After what she did to his daughter, she had a target on her back as far as Regulus was concerned. It was a when, not an if. Maybe Dolohov too, he thought to himself. He was pondering what he would do to both of them, when he heard a throat clearing. Shaking himself out of his thoughts, Regulus spotted Hermione waiting for him by the stairs. Watching him.

"Ready?" he asked her.

Hermione laughed. "Not really. What will we be doing?"

"I want to see what you can do," Regulus replied. "I've never seen you fight, never seen you duel. I want you to try to take me down." Hermione looked at him, shocked.

"What are the rules?" she asked him.

"Nothing unforgivable, nothing that could be lethal. I will just defend myself. We'll go until I fall, or you tire out and call time. How does that sound?" he asked her, grinning.

"Alright, I suppose," Hermione said. "I'm really nervous."

"Yeah?" Regulus asked. Hermione nodded. "Just close your eyes." Hermione did that. "Take a deep breath, and slowly exhale through your nose." When Hermione did that, Regulus continued. "I want you to visualize what you will do to me. Spells that you know. Steps that you'll take…have you done that?" Hermione nodded. "Now when you are ready, open your eyes, and start. I'll wait as long as you need."

Regulus watched Hermione calm herself down and focus on her task. He watched as her shoulders rolled back and her back straightened. Her chin quirked up, feet adjusting themselves to be sturdier. She looked like a Black. Regulus smiled to himself. There she is, he thought. She already had her wand in her hand, Regulus saw. He removed his from his pocket and waited.

Hermione quickly raised her wand and opened her eyes all in one motion. " _Stupefy_ ," she yelled out, casting in Regulus' direction.

Regulus barely raised his wand and cast the charm aside, before advancing closer to Hermione.

" _Depulso_ ," Hermione called out, attempting to get Regulus further away from her. He blocked it just as easily.

" _Everte Statum_ ," Hermione screamed at him, sweeping her wand through the correct motion. He cast it aside, coming even closer to her.

"Come on, Hermione," Regulus taunted her. "Surely you have something better than that," he smirked at her. Goading her.

She cast the jelly-legs curse at him non-verbally. It hit him, but he quickly cancelled the curse. She threw the impediment jinx, a stinging hex and a disarming charm at him in quick succession. Regulus blocked the first two, but got caught out with the disarming charm. His wand popped out of his right hand, but he grabbed it with his left.

"More!" he barked at her, continuing to goad her. "I thought you were supposedly the brightest witch of her age," he laughed at her.

Hermione was getting angry. She shot off a _langlock_ and a _levicorpus_ at him. They hit him square in the chest.

He dangled in the air grinning at her. She performed the counter curses, and he dropped to the ground, on his back.

"Good!" He cheerfully responded as he bounced right back up on his feet. "Where did you learn the last two?"

Hermione grinned at him. "Harry had Snape's old potion book for sixth year, there were curses and hexes written in there. I may have read it once or twice without him knowing."

Regulus laughed. "I take it those were the nicer ones? Knowing Snape as I do, I know he has a few lethal ones. Are those in there too?"

"Yep!" Hermione answered him. "I know how to do them, but I don't want to, unless I have to, of course."

Regulus nodded. "You want to go at it again? Same conditions…"

Hermione nodded in response and started firing off more hexes at Regulus.

...

* * *

...

They continued their practice dueling well into the day, before Hermione called for time. "I'm getting tired," she said, gasping for breath.

Regulus had started responding to her hexes with some of his own. He was good. Really good.

Hermione was starting to like dueling. She never had before, it always seemed like a necessity to her – almost like gym class in her muggle school before she started at Hogwarts. She did it because she had to, not because she liked it. Now she was starting to like it. She was beginning to feel comfortable with her abilities.

"You need food, and potions." Regulus told her.

"And a shower," Hermione added on. "I'll have a quick one before I meet you for lunch. Is that alright?" She asked him.

"Of course," said Regulus as he walked to the foot of the stairs and stepped aside to let Hermione go first. "After you," he said to her, smiling.

"Why, thank you," Hermione responded equally cheerfully and darted up the stairs. Regulus following close behind. Hermione then turned into the bathroom and closed the door. The shower could be heard moments later.

After lunch they took to studying. Hermione was in her element reading Regulus' collection of books. Some on curses and hexes. Some on different dueling strategies depending on your opponent. Hermione read and read, absorbing the information.

...

* * *

...

_~ Meanwhile at Malfoy Manor ~_

"Draco, come here," Narcissa called to her son. It was the day he would be returning to Hogwarts from Easter Break. She wanted to say goodbye to him.

Draco quickly walked over to his mother and she reached up to him and held him in a hug.

"I need you to be careful, my Dragon," she whispered in his ear, aware of their guests watching them, waiting to depart with her son. "I need you to be good and to keep your head down. To focus on your classes. Do you understand me?" She asked him. Draco nodded into her shoulder.

"I don't have a wand anymore, mother," he whispered to her. "They are going to hurt me when I get there."

Narcissa slipped hers into his coat pocket as they slowly broke apart. He looked at her in surprise. "Keep it safe for me," she whispered.

"Mum, no this is yours, you need this here." Draco protested in a hushed tone.

Narcissa shook her head, smiling at him. "You need it more than me. Remember what I said." She kissed his cheek. "Be safe, my Dragon."

"Come on! You're holding us up!" snarled Amycus Carrow. "Little Draky has to go back to school now and get his education!" He finished excitedly. He grabbed Draco and they walked out the Manor and up the entrance way to the apparition point.

Narcissa watched them until they reached the apparition point and disappeared. She turned and walked back to her quarters, sighing as she went.

...

* * *

...

Regulus and Hermione got into a routine as the week progressed. Mornings they would practice their dueling, followed by lunch, and nutrient potions in Hermione's case. She was building up strength and her stamina was improving as a result. After lunch they would focus on theoretical aspects of dueling. New hexes and jinxes, as well as tips and tricks. 

They would apply these lessons the following day in their duels. Regulus regularly commenting on Hermione's improvement, and suggesting other tips and tricks that he had found helpful for himself.

Every night Regulus checked his mirror to see if Narcissa had gotten back to him. There had yet to be a response.

...

* * *

...

Hermione's second week with Regulus, and she was sprawled on the couch reading a book. She stopped her reading of _Malicious Magic: Tips and Tricks for Getting out of a Tricky Situation by Any Means Necessary_ , and looked at Regulus. "How will we get into and out of Gringotts? Do you think we can get away with it without anyone noticing?"

Regulus was sitting at his desk, reading a newspaper he snatched from the nearby wizarding village, trying to gain any information possible. He folded the paper up and placed it on his desk and then turned in his chair to look at her.

"Well," Regulus started, "I'll get Rabastan's hair from Narcissa, soon hopefully. We will glamour you up, Change some key characteristics of you. Do you have a dress? Something pureblood looking? Kind of posh?" he asked her.

"Not really, no." Hermione responded. "I have the dress that I wore to Bill and Fleur's wedding that I could transfigure into something else. But other than that I have just jeans and jumpers mostly."

Regulus shook his head. "I'll get Susan to get you something else. I have an account at Twilfitt & Tatting's under an assumed name. They won't ask questions and it'll fit with the look we are going for."

"Okay," said Hermione.

"Anyway," continued Regulus. "I drink the polyjuice potion with Rabastan's hair in it. We walk into Gringotts. I'll do the talking. We'll pretend your English is not the greatest. I'll insist you come with me to my vault. I should be let in just by appearance only. A perk of having old money. It certainly works that way as a Black."

Hermione nodded at him. It made sense. It was just another way that muggleborns were treated differently. Her parents had set up an account for her in her fourth year, and she had to show her wand every single time she went in. No exceptions.

"We get into the Lestrange vault, look for the cup. I remember what it looked like. Hopefully it is still there. I grab it and stick it in your beaded bag – wonderful undetectable extension charm by the way." He smiled at her. Hermione grinned at the praise.

"We hopefully get back into the cart and ride it up to the top of the bank. Get out and walk out of there before my hour is up. Fingers crossed no one notices anything strange," Regulus finished. "Does that sound like a plan?" he asked.

Hermione nodded at him. "What if someone notices?"

"Then we will have to fight our way out and the Dark Lord will put two and two together and realise we are after his horcuxes. It'll get ugly," Regulus answered her concerns.

"Do we know what the other horcrux is? The Ravenclaw one, has Luna said anything?" asked Hermione.

"I heard from Remus last night, there is apparently a diadem that went missing of Ravenclaws. Legend says it's hidden somewhere. From Luna's description of it Harry thinks that he might have seen it when he was hiding Snape's potion book from in the Room of Hidden Things in his sixth year. I wish I knew that room was there when I was at the school," Regulus smiled at her. "I'm going to assume it's there. We will need to find a way to get into the school without Snape or anyone else knowing. Maybe after term is finished…it's only a couple more months," Regulus said.

"And if we get caught leaving Gringotts, and You-Know-Who figures out what we're doing, we will need to get that diadem quickly before he can move it," Hermione responded. Regulus nodded in agreement. "If that is the case, we need a plan that the Order is in on to take the castle." She looked to Regulus. "Do we have that yet?"

Regulus shook his head. "Not completely. I've been talking strategy with Remus and Bill. We are thinking of using the secret entrances to get into the castle. Harry has the Marauder's Map – another thing I would have loved to have access to when I was at school," Regulus looked at Hermione pointedly. Hermione snickered at him. "With the map we can figure out where everyone is and go from there." Regulus finished. "It's a rough plan, but it is better than nothing."

"Now, we just have to wait for Narcissa," Hermione finished.

"Now we just have to wait for Narcissa." Regulus agreed.

...

* * *

...

As Regulus was getting ready for bed, he picked up his mirror. It vibrated in his hands. _Narcissa_ , he thought.

He sat down on his bed and sent Narcissa a vibration in response.

She responded quickly. "Regulus, I have your hair. Well…Rabastan's hair, I suppose. Can we meet tomorrow? The Dark Lord is supposed to be out of the country, he's looking for something."

"Absolutely," Regulus replied. "Same spot as before?"

"Yes. Ten o'clock tomorrow morning. If you are not there then I have to leave, I cannot risk waiting around," Narcissa answered him.

Regulus nodded. "See you tomorrow, Cissa."


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The summer after Hermione's 6th year begins with her coming to the realization that she is not her parents' daughter. Follow Hermione as she comes to terms with who she is and where she comes from. The actions of good people are questioned, and people on the other side of the war are not as bad as they seem. Everyone has their secrets.

When Regulus entered the kitchen bright and early the next day, Hermione was already there, sipping her tea and working slowly on her English breakfast. "You're up early," he said to his daughter as he poured himself his tea. Susan was already setting a plate for him as he sat down in his chair.

"I didn't sleep too well unfortunately," Hermione quietly responded.

Regulus took a closer look at her. She had bags under her eyes, and they were bloodshot – like she'd been crying. She was picking at her breakfast, mostly just moving it around on her plate, every once in a while taking a small bite. Her left hand was balled in a fist – knuckles white, while her right hand held her fork tightly. Tense and on edge.

"Nightmares?" Regulus questioned her. She looked like he did when he was her age. She was terrified.

Hermione gave more of a jerk than a nod of her head, but Regulus took that as an affirmative answer.

"How often have you had nightmares, Hermione?"

Hermione looked down at her cup of tea. "Almost every night I've been here."

Regulus' eyebrows rose. "Why didn't I know about them?"

"I've silenced my room every night before I go to bed. I didn't want to worry you, or wake you up or anything. I thought they'd go away eventually. They are just getting worse." Hermione admitted. She looked defeated.

"Hermione." Regulus whispered. "You can tell me anything, you know that right? I don't want any secrets between us. I want to know if you are doing alright. I know I haven't been around for the majority of your life – all your life really – I want to be there now. I want to be here now, with you." He paused. "Please tell me if you are having troubles, we can deal with them together."

Hermione nodded. She put her head in her hands. "Bellatrix," she mumbled behind her hands. "I have nightmares about Bellatrix."

Regulus nodded. "About her torturing you?"

"At first, yes." Hermione took a breath. "But they've changed, and they are really messed up. More stuff happens than what really did. More brutal. More people involved. Greyback. Greyback and Bellatrix. Sometimes Dolohov, too." Hermione snorted. "I haven't had a nightmare about Dolohov in over a year. I don't know why they're coming back full force."

"Maybe…with all the preparation and planning we are doing it is setting you off. Not to mention you were tortured by someone who gets off on torturing people. Some who enjoys it – looks forward to it." Regulus said.

Hermione hummed in agreement. "That would make sense." She took a sip of her tea.

How about you try to get some rest today. I have a bunch of running around I need to do today. I can give you a dreamless sleep potion again and you can catch up on the sleep you've missed. How does that sound?" Regulus asked her, watching her reaction closely.

"Okay," Hermione spoke quietly. "That sounds okay to me. What are you doing today?" She made eye contact with Regulus, curiosity in her eyes.

"Narcissa got back to me last night. She has Rabastan's hair for me. I need to meet her in an hour or so. I also need to pick up your dress from Twilfitt & Tatting's later in the day. So I need my disguise to pick that up as well," said Regulus.

Hermione looked excited. "That was quick, I didn't expect the dress to be ready for a few days at least."

"Money is a great incentive…I told Susan to tell them to rush it. Regardless of the cost." Regulus smirked. Hermione shook her head and rolled her eyes.

"Finish your breakfast, Hermione. I'll get the dreamless sleep potion for you. You need your rest." Regulus ordered. "I'll be in and out of the house all day…you won't miss much, I promise."

Hermione tucked into her breakfast and Regulus into his own.

About thirty minutes later Regulus was following Hermione into her room. He reached to the back of the table by her bed and found a little bottle of dreamless sleep.

"This amount will last you for 4-5 hours." Regulus said as he handed her the bottle. "I should be back before you wake up. If I am not here, wait a day, then get in touch with Remus. My mirror is in my nightstand in the drawer. Just hold it and call out his name. He'll come and get you to safety." Regulus looked at her. "Do you understand?"

Hermione nodded. "Please be safe for me." She settled back into her bed and drunk the potion down completely. She sighed and was out cold in seconds.

Regulus bent down and kissed her on the top of her head. "Anything for you, my Hermione." He turned and walked out of her room.

...

* * *

...

Regulus was waiting in Wiltshire, in the trees surrounding Malfoy Manor. He was hidden behind a tree, camouflaged into his surroundings. He could see the back of the manor off in the distance. Windows dark. The gardens in the back of the property – the pride and joy of Narcissa – were full of overgrown shrubbery and trees and dead plants everywhere. The numerous paths he could remember when he was younger were hidden in the overgrowth. It looked abandoned.

He turned to the trapdoor situated in the ground next to a tree a few feet away from him. Mossy, rotted wood hidden among the leaves on the ground. You wouldn't see it if you weren't looking for it.

The door slowly opened. Regulus' hand on his wand pointing in the direction of the opening door.

Narcissa poked her head out first, rolled her eyes at Regulus' wand pointing at her, and walked up the steps out of the ground to stand in front of him. "Relax Regulus. I don't even have a wand anymore. I couldn't hurt you even if I tried."

Regulus nodded, still holding his wand, although he pointed it down to the ground. "Who has it?"

"Draco," Narcissa replied. "He needs one for school, they'll kill him if he doesn't have one. I had to take his wand away, give it to Mr. Potter to fit the story I told Bellatrix and the Dark Lord. To fit the story I've told everyone." She reached into the pocket of her black robe and pulled out a vial of brown hair. "My head still hurts from the legilimency I've had to endure as a result of everyone's escape. But I've succeeded, no one knows the truth."

"It's good that as Black children we were subjected to that shit every day." Regulus chuckled as he reached for the vial. "Who knew it'd pay to be raised by secretive, paranoid lunatics, right?"

Narcissa smiled in response. "No one outside of a Black knows or understands what we went through as children. The preparation we have all had as a result of who our family was. It's a good thing Bellatrix is so insane. I don't think she remembers much from her childhood. She has completely lost herself. I think she did before she even went into Azkaban. Now she is no longer a Black, she is the Dark Lord's right hand soldier. That's it."

"I'm going to kill her when I get the chance." Regulus informed her. "I hope you understand that. For what she has done to Hermione."

Narcissa nodded again. "I would expect nothing less from you. I understand completely."

"She wanted me to thank you – Hermione – for saving her life. For saving everyone's life."

"That's kind of her to say." Narcissa smiled softly. "I'd love to sit down with her and talk to her. After everything is over."

"Absolutely," Regulus nodded at her. "I think she'd like that."

"I must go back now, Regulus. I don't want anyone to find me out here." She started to turn back towards the door in the ground.

"Of course. Please take care of yourself, Narcissa. Be safe. This will be over sooner rather than later. I promise." Regulus said to her back as she stepped down the stairs.

Narcissa turned, facing Regulus once again, half smiled and reached for the door. "Goodbye Regulus. See you soon." The door clicked shut, the leaves and moss re-positioning itself on top of the door, hiding it from view.

Regulus disapparated away, reappearing a short distance from his home. He walked to the front door and let himself in. The house was quiet, but he could hear Susan puttering about, tidying up and humming to herself. He poked his head in Hermione's room, she hadn't moved an inch since he left. _Good, she needs her sleep_ , he thought to himself.

He walked down the stairs into his dueling room, through a door in the side of the room and stepped into his potions room. He placed the vial on the counter and labeled it ' _Rabastan_ ' and placed it next to his collection of various hairs in vials. He grabbed another one labeled ' _Robert Burgman_ ' and dropped a hair from it into a goblet. He grabbed a ladle and scooped out some polyjuice potion out of the cauldron bubbling on the side of the room.

"Bottoms up," Regulus said to himself, drinking the entire goblet full of the foul tasting potion. "Ugh. It never gets any better." He shook his head to himself. Shuddering. He could feel his body changing almost instantly.

He quickly walked back out of the house and disapparated with a crack, thinking of Diagon Alley as he went.

...

* * *

...

Regulus walked through Diagon Alley quickly. The place was almost deserted. Shop windows boarded up, lights off in others. The few people who were out and about in Diagon Alley were moving quickly, much like Regulus. They were there because they had to be, not because they wanted to be. No families were here. Just adults. Out of the corner of his eye he spotted a man leaning against the wall of Flourish & Blotts, watching people hurry about.

_Something's off about him_. Regulus thought to himself. The man's clothing fit poorly, like he had gained a fair bit of weight in a short amount of time and hadn't had the chance to get new clothes. He looked uncomfortable. _Polyjuice_. Regulus tried to get a better look at the man without raising suspicion. He hadn't been spotted yet and would like to keep that up for as long as he could. _Death Eater? Or Order?_ Regulus thought. _Hmmm. A shitty one whatever side they were on_. Everyone knew to pick a person as closest to the same size as yourself, if you had a choice. It lead to less chance of clumsiness and better fitting clothes assuming you couldn't transfigure them. It was the rules with the Death Eaters as well as the Order. _Who the fuck was this? An idiot apparently_. Regulus answered himself. He walked past the man and carried on towards Twilfitt & Tatting's. The man looked up as Regulus walked by, and made a move to start following him. _Seriously, you think I didn't notice you, fool?_ Regulus kept a look out on the man as he strolled through the Alley. He made sure to pay attention to the other people around as well. Perhaps they were working in pairs and this _dumbass_ was a decoy. He couldn't see anyone else. The _moron_ was alone. _Good_.

Regulus stopped just before Twilfitt & Tatting's in front of an extremely narrow alleyway between the clothing store and another. Maybe two feet wide. It was filled with so many boxes no one could walk through it. He looked at his watch. Waiting. _Incompetent_ went to walk by Regulus. Regulus reached an arm out and grabbed him, pushed him up against the stone wall of the clothing store, wand pointed at the man. " _Expelliarmus_ ," he muttered and grabbed the man's wand before the _imbecile_ knew what was happening. _Halfwit_ looked scared. "Who the fuck do you think you are, boy?" Regulus growled at him. His wand was sticking into the man's throat.

"It…it is my duty to watch e-e-everyone who comes here. You've no right to assault me, s-sir." Fatass stuttered. Shaking.

"Who gave you the duty? The Ministry? You-Know-Who? Who gave you the duty?" Regulus pushed him harder into the wall. The disguised man was gasping for air.

"The…Dark…Lord…" the man rasped out. "Please, I'm just…trying….to do my job. He'll…kill me if…I don't." His face was turning more and more red as he gasped for air.

"He will kill you anyway. You are shit at your job." Regulus sneered at the man. "I want you to tell him something for me." The man was in tears. "You tell him that I will see to it that he falls. I will hunt that bastard down until it is the last day on this Earth. I will slaughter anyone in my way."

He stunned the man and let him fall in a heap to the ground. He dropped the man's wand next to the heap. Regulus took a breath, straightened his robes and walked back out of the alleyway and into Twilfitt & Tatting's to pick up Robert Burgman's order, whistling as he went.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The summer after Hermione's 6th year begins with her coming to the realization that she is not her parents' daughter. Follow Hermione as she comes to terms with who she is and where she comes from. The actions of good people are questioned, and people on the other side of the war are not as bad as they seem. Everyone has their secrets.

Hermione slowly started to wake up from her dreamless sleep. She could hear someone walk around in her room and place something in her closet. She took a deep breath and was able to open her eyes, blinking from the sunshine streaming through the window. "Hmmm," Hermione mumbled to herself.

"Hello to you too, Hermione." Regulus chuckled at her. "Have a good sleep?"

Hermione nodded. "How long was I out?"

"About four hours…there is still going to be some of the dreamless sleep in your system. It's why you're so groggy right now." Regulus told her.

"M'kay," Hermione mumbled, stifling a yawn behind one of her hands.

Regulus sat down in the chair in her room. "I've picked up your dress for Gringotts, as well as Rabastan's hair…I think we may need to move pretty quickly. I may have done a thing while I was in Diagon Alley." Regulus finished, grimacing.

"What kind of 'thing', what happened?" Hermione squinted at him, taking him in. He didn't look too guilty about whatever he did. In fact, he looked like he was trying to look guilty, but was failing miserably.

"Well, before I tell you I need you to know that I didn't go as myself. I went as Robert Burgman. A man I made up. His name is fake, but I took the hair from a muggle man a while back. He is the one the account is under at Twilfitt's." He paused. Hermione was looking at him like a mother would at their misbehaving child. "I may have threatened a possibly wannabe Death Eater for following me to Twilfitt & Tatting's. I almost made him piss himself. I told him to give the Dark Lord a message from me."

Hermione just stared at him. Eyebrow raised, lips pursed. "How do you know he was a wannabe…possibly?"

"I asked him."

"You asked him?" Hermione repeated.

"After I shoved him into an alleyway and disarmed him, yes…I asked him. He was polyjuiced, I think. He looked uncomfortable in the skin he was in. Anyway, I thought he was suspicious. Then he started following me, which made him more suspicious. I pulled him into the alleyway like I said, and asked him who he was working for." Regulus responded. "He said the Dark Lord…that it was his duty to watch everyone who came into Diagon Alley. That he was just doing his job so that he wouldn't get killed." Regulus paused, thinking. "Then I told him that I had a message for his Dark Lord, which I told him to tell him when he got the chance. Then I stunned him and left his wand next to his body on the ground." Regulus finished with a nod to himself.

Hermione continued staring at him. "What was the message, Regulus? Why do we need to hurry?"

Regulus exhaled slowly. "I may have said that I would hunt down that bastard and slaughter anyone in my way."

" _Fuck_ , Regulus. Why would you say that?" Hermione had her hand over her mouth in shock. "Now he's going to know that we're coming after him…what if he panics and moves his horcruxes, then what? Hmmm, what do we do then?"

"I know, I know. I kind of lost my temper. I was angry that you are having nightmares from Bellatrix and everyone else. I am angry that you were ever put in that position to begin with. I am furious that Dumbledore assigned this near impossible task to a bunch of children. I just want it done. It should have been done years ago. But no one did anything. I did nothing. I fucking hid in a house with a house elf, while you went through everything at Hogwarts. You had to deal with the Draco ponce disrespecting you because I hid you from literally everyone. I made you muggleborn. I put you through that." Regulus' voice rose and rose until he was almost shouting at her. "I put a fucking target on your back, because I couldn't get off my ass and find the other horcruxes. I am pretty sure I was the only one initially that knew there were more than one. That knew the Dark Lord wasn't dead, besides Dumbledore – and I still did nothing." He finished in a whisper.

Hermione reached forward, and took Regulus' hands in her own. "I don't blame you, Regulus. I probably should, but I really don't. I loved the life I had as Hermione Granger, muggleborn witch, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Granger, dentists. But at the same time, the parents that I knew and I were growing apart. I was too different from them. They didn't understand anything to do with the magical world. But luckily for me, you do. I can share my magical life with you and you actually understand what I am talking about. I don't have to lie to you and only tell you about my grades, not about the yearly assassination attempts on my life as well as my friends' lives. You get it. To me that is invaluable." Hermione looked into Regulus' eyes. "Do you understand what I am getting at?"

Regulus nodded, unable to speak.

"Now, when do we go to Gringotts? What day is it?" Hermione asked him.

"It's the first of May." Regulus looked at Hermione. "I think we need to go today if we can. I can give you a pepper-up potion to balance out the dreamless sleep in your system still."

"Okay, let me get my dress on and we will go." She downed the bottle of pepper-up potion, then stopped and looked at Regulus. "If we get caught leaving Gringotts we will be fighting at Hogwarts. I think we should bring all your potions just in case. My beaded bag should fit them all. You need to tell Remus right now what's going on."

Regulus nodded and started towards his room. Hermione started stuffing the potions bottles in her beaded bag, stopping when the table was completely empty. She placed her bag on the bed and opened the closet door. In it was a dress bag hanging. She took it out of the closet, laid it on the bed and unzipped it. She looked at the dress inside with wide eyes.

She picked the dress out of the bag and saw it was far beyond anything she could have imagined for herself. Black in colour. Long sleeves, structured bodice, and a high sort of neck. She called for Regulus' elf. "Susan!" The elf popped into the room.

"Yes, Missy Hermione, what can Susan do for yous?" the little elf asked smiling.

"I need help getting dressed properly. I've never worn anything like this before." Hermione stated to her. "Can you help me please?" She smiled at the elf.

"Oh! Absolutely!" Susan snapped her fingers and Hermione felt a subtle scourgify across her face and body. "Off with yours pajamas, please." Hermione did as she was asked, and soon felt the elf pull the dress onto her body. She could feel the elf's magic fitting the dress appropriately to her body, the back of the dress tying up. "Theres. All done Missy Hermione. Yours boots are in the closet as well." The little elf levitated them towards Hermione.

They were lace up boots and had no heel of note. They looked like a female version of combat boots in a way. Like the ones she saw Tonks' wear when she was coming off her shift at the Ministry. "Are these auror boots?" Hermione asked Susan.

"Yes, Missy Hermione. Mister Remus recommended them to Master Regulus for yous to wear. His Missy Tonks said they helped with balance in dueling. She gots yous a pair." The little elf responded, as she went ahead and put them on Hermione as well.

"Thank you, Susan." Hermione said, as everything was finished. She looked into the mirror. Staring back at her was someone she barely recognized. She looked tough. Almost like a Bellatrix, but with more class. Her dress was clean and well structured. It was light enough that she could move around quickly if needed. She looked intimidating. She heard a light knock on her door. "Come in," she called.

Regulus stepped into the room. He was smirking at her outfit. Hermione turned from the mirror to look at him. He was partially dressed in his Death Eater regalia. He was just missing the mask. "Is that yours?" She asked him. He nodded. "Are they all the same or are you hoping no one will notice it's not Rabastan's."

"They are all identical save for the masks. Those are the identifying factors. Rabastan's an arrogant prick, he loves walking around in his without his mask on." He paused. "Don't worry, it's going to work." Hermione nodded at him.

"What should I do to my hair?" Hermione asked him. Regulus stepped behind Hermione and pulled out his wand. He started muttering spells and she could feel her hair changing. It was straightening out. She looked back at the mirror and she saw the colour changing to a light blonde. Regulus stepped in front of her and pointed his wand at her face. Her eye colour changed to a bright blue, and her cheekbones became a bit more pronounced.

"Make sure you tie your hair back." He told her.

Hermione nodded and reached for the hair tie on the table by her bed. She tied her hair in a low ponytail and looked again at herself in the mirror. She didn't recognize the person looking back at her. "Have you let Remus know what is going on?" She asked Regulus.

"Yes, I just got off the mirror with him. Tonks just had the baby. A little boy, Edward Remus Lupin. Metamorphmagus like his mother."

Hermione squealed. "A little boy!" She beamed at Regulus as he smiled back at her.

"Remus is getting everyone set up for Hogwarts just in case. He said he'd be there, but Tonks will stay behind with her mother and the baby."

Hermione nodded at him. She grabbed her beaded bag and tucked it in one of her boots and stuffed her wand up her left sleeve in a holder fitted into the dress. "I'm ready."

Regulus downed a goblet of polyjuice potion that was sitting on the kitchen table and transformed into Rabastan before Hermione's eyes. "That's so weird to watch," Hermione said, shaking her head.

They walked out the door and through the yard a ways before Regulus grabbed on to her arm. "Remember, you can't really speak English very well. I'll do the talking."

Hermione nodded and they both disappeared with a crack.

...

* * *

...

Regulus and Hermione reappeared in Diagon Alley just steps away from the front stairs leading into Gringotts Bank. They quickly walked up the steps and into the bank.

Stepping through the doors Hermione saw many goblins at work. Each teller was present, most of them with a few people lining up. Regulus had Hermione's arm tucked in his, and escorted her to a teller who was free.

"I wish to enter my vault," Regulus, as Rabastan, said to the goblin. The goblin looked up from his paperwork.

"Of course, sir," the goblin growled out. "The young miss will stay up here in our waiting room."

"No, she is coming with me. She is my guest." Regulus responded, looking at the goblin as if challenging him to disagree with him. Hermione watched the goblin react.

The goblin took in what Regulus was wearing. Death Eater robes. "Of course, sir. My apologies. Right this way."

They quickly walked through some doors, and entered to where the carts were. Regulus held out his hand to Hermione and helped her into the cart. He got in after her. The goblin followed last.

They zoomed further and further down into the bank. Hermione was holding on for dear life on the bar in front of her, knuckles white. She could hear a growl in the distance. Something big. The cart suddenly came to a stop and Hermione looked to her right. A dragon was chained up a few stories below where they were. It was sick looking. Pale. They keep dragons in the bank? Hermione thought to herself. Regulus helped her out of the cart. She looked in his eyes, Furious. He subtly shook his head. _Not here, not now_ , she heard him implore.

"Your vault, Mr. Lestrange," the goblin said to Regulus as he opened the vault up with his finger. He stood back as the door swung open.

Regulus stepped into the vault, Hermione following. She looked around at everything in there. Mounds of gold. Artifacts and crowns. Gowns and books. Dishes and dishes everywhere. Stuff was piled everywhere. Where could the goblet be? Hermione wondered to herself.

"Here it is," Regulus called out, he turned to look at Hermione. He nodded towards a goblet with the Hufflepuff crest on it. He noticed Hermione about to reach forward to touch a table. He gave her a pointed look. "Make sure not to touch anything, okay love? I'd hate for you to get hurt because you're not a Lestrange." He chuckled at her. Hermione rolled her eyes and crossed her arms at her chest. "That's better," Regulus smirked at her.

He reached for the Hufflepuff cup and grabbed it quickly, slipping it into his pocket of his robes. Hermione could see him shudder at the feeling it gave him. "I got what I needed. We're done." Regulus said to the goblin at the door. Hermione and Regulus sat back into the cart and rode it back up to the top of Gringotts.

They walked back through the top floor of the bank, heading towards the entrance. They were walking quickly. They needed to get out. Regulus pushed open the door to the bank, and let Hermione through first, always the gentleman. He turned to follow her out. As Hermione and Regulus began to walk down the stairs, two people in black began to walk up them. Hermione looked at them. Her eyes grew.

Rabastan Lestrange and Antonin Dolohov.

"Fuck," Regulus muttered. He took out his wand, as did Hermione.

The real Rabastan looked up as he was walking and stopped. Dolohov did the same. They both looked at Regulus – identical to Rabastan. They grabbed their wands at the same time.

Regulus was already firing off curses before they could get them raised. Hermione was doing the same. Trying to keep up. Rabastan and Dolohov returned fire with curses of their own.

Hermione was focusing on Rabastan. She shot off everything she could think of and he kept throwing it off and returned fire. Grinning at her as he did it. She was able to defend and get shields up in time for everything he was throwing at her. He's playing with me. Hermione thought to herself as she dodged another curse. _Bastard_.

" _Sectumsempra_!" Hermione howled at him. It hit him square in the chest. He collapsed on the ground, gasping for air. She disarmed him and turned to Dolohov and Regulus dueling.

Dolohov went to reach for his left arm, reaching for his dark mark to call the Dark Lord. Regulus responded by throwing a potent slicing hex at him and sliced his arm off entirely. Blood spurting everywhere. Dolohov screamed in pain, and responded with his purple fire curse, directed toward Regulus, but not caring where it went. He grabbed Rabastan and disapparated with a crack.

Regulus sat down on the steps, in shock. Hermione ran closer toward him. Screaming, "Regulus!"

He looked at her. He looked at his arm. Hermione took him in, his robes were torn. His left arm by his shoulder was bleeding and there was a gash of purple peeking through. His polyjuice started wearing off, he was turning into Regulus again. People were watching them. Huddling behind walls and lampposts.

She touched his shoulder, trying to see the damage. "We need to get out of here right now, Hermione. The Hog's Head." Regulus gasped, obviously in pain.

She grabbed him and disapparated with a loud crack.

...

* * *

...

They reappeared on the front porch of the Hog's Head pub in Hogsmead. Hermione dragging Regulus through the door. The pub was empty, but the bartender was behind the bar. He looked oddly like Hermione's former headmaster. He must be Aberforth Dumbledore, Hermione thought to herself.

"We're with the Order!" She screeched out, panic setting in. "The Order needs to get here now! Regulus is hurt badly!"

Aberforth looked from Hermione to Regulus, his eyes bulging. "Well, I'll be…"


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The summer after Hermione's 6th year begins with her coming to the realization that she is not her parents' daughter. Follow Hermione as she comes to terms with who she is and where she comes from. The actions of good people are questioned, and people on the other side of the war are not as bad as they seem. Everyone has their secrets.

Hermione was looking at Aberforth with huge eyes as she was supporting Regulus while he leaned on her. Aberforth nodded at her.

"Let's go to the back room, first. You need to get away from the windows." He said to her as he walked towards the pair, helping Hermione and Regulus along the pub to the back. They quickly went to the back room where Hermione and Aberforth were able to help Regulus into a chair.

"I know who this fellow is, but who are you Miss?" Aberforth asked Hermione as she was reaching for her beaded bag.

Hermione looked at him questioningly. Her eyes widened. "Oh, my bad." She removed her disguise and looked at Aberforth. "I'm Hermione Granger, friend of Harry Potter and Ron Weasley. We need to get in touch with Remus, to let him know that You-Know-Who knows what we are doing. We got caught leaving Gringotts, and dueled with a couple Death Eaters. They got away. Hurt, but they still got away."

Aberforth nodded to her. He grabbed a mirror from his pocket. Regulus looked at it questioningly. That was Sirius' mirror. Aberforth noticed his expression. "Mundungus Fletcher sold it to me. He stole a bunch of stuff from Grimmauld Place, I assume." Regulus nodded. Aberforth stepped away as Hermione got to work on Regulus' shoulder, and called for Remus in the mirror.

Hermione's hands were shaking as she was attempting to get Regulus' cloak off. She needed to see his wound. To see how bad it was. He was trying to help her as best he could, but had a difficult time moving. After much struggling she was able to remove his cloak, and his shirts underneath, leaving him with only his bottoms and boots on.

Regulus hissed in pain as she touched his shoulder. "How bad is it? I can't really move my arm."

"He missed most of you, thankfully. Or you'd be dead. He's gotten your shoulder pretty badly though." She handed him a few potions that she remembered having to take after Dolohov got her in her fifth year. Regulus drank them down quickly. Hermione started with the Essence of Dittany. She dropped multiple drops on Regulus' shoulder and watched as the wound was slowly closing. "It's going to leave a scar. The Dittany only closes this particular wound, it doesn't heal it completely."

"That's fine," Regulus said to her, watching her work. She handed him a pain relief potion and a muscle regeneration potion. He drank them down as well.

"Any better?" Hermione asked him.

Regulus smiled at her, "I still can move my wand arm just fine, Hermione. I will be fine. I can deal with this later." She nodded at him.

They heard a commotion at the front of the pub. Steps coming towards them. They all withdrew their wands and pointed them towards the door separating the back room from the rest of the pub.

The door opened and Remus stepped through. He was followed by Harry, Ron, Luna, Dean, Ginny, and finally Fred and George. Remus dropped the portkey he was holding onto a nearby table.

Hermione relaxed at the sight and lowered her wand.

"Molly and Arthur, and Bill and Fleur are notifying the rest of the Order. They will be here soon." Remus said to the trio.

"Hermione!" Harry called out to her. Hermione walked quickly to him and gave him a hug. She pulled back and he was looking at her hair and then her eyes. He looked over to where Regulus was rising from the chair he was in. "Holy shit!" Harry exclaimed, realizing this man was Regulus Black. "You're supposed to be dead."

"That was the story everyone was told, yes." Regulus responded to the teen, as he was slipping his shirt back on.

Harry nodded. "There is a story in there I'd like to hear one day. But I just wanted to thank you for what you've done. With the locket and helping Hermione."

Hermione was watching Ron. He hadn't said anything to her, but was gaping at her and looking between her and Regulus. She could tell he was putting two and two together. "You're a Black?" he asked her, disgust in his voice. "You're supposed to be Hermione Granger, Muggleborn witch. How long have you been hiding this from everyone?" He scowled at her.

"One, I was Hermione Granger, Muggleborn witch for as long as I can remember. I've only just found out recently that Regulus is my father. He hid me to keep me safe. I wasn't hiding anything from anyone. Two, Harry knew that the Grangers weren't my biological parents. We talked a lot when you left us to fend for ourselves. I hadn't told you yet, because I didn't know who my father was until a few weeks ago, after Bellatrix tortured me. I figured you would overreact…and I had better things to focus on, like figuring out how to defeat an immortal lunatic." Hermione paused, catching her breath. Ron was speechless. "We can deal with this later, you and I. We've more important things to do right now." She looked at him. "I see you've brought the sword. May I have it, please? We have a horcrux to destroy." She held out her hand to him. Fred and George were chuckling.

Ron looked at her, in shock. He shook himself. "Yeah…yeah, of course, Hermione." He handed her the sword. "I'm sorry."

"It's nice to meet you, Hermione Black." Luna said in her dreamy voice.

"It's nice to see you too, Luna." Hermione smiled at her.

Regulus pulled the cup from the pocket of his cloak and placed it on the floor.

Harry spoke up. "The locket fought back. Ron had to hit it twice with the sword before it was destroyed. Once to open it, then again to destroy it. I don't know if this'll be the same. If it'll fight back in some way."

Regulus nodded at him and held out his hand to Hermione. Waiting for her to give him the sword. "You all go wait in the front of the pub. I'll get this one."

Hermione shook her head at him. "No, I'll stay with you. I can help you destroy it."

"I don't want you getting hurt, Hermione. I can handle it. Please give me the sword. Wait in the front and fill everyone in on what's going on."

Harry suddenly dropped to the floor, clutching his scar. Hermione could hear him grinding his teeth as he struggled to breathe. She went towards Harry, as did Ron, when Regulus suddenly clutched his left arm, doubled over in pain. "Fuck!" He roared.

Harry opened his eyes. Looking up at Hermione and Ron standing over him. "He's really, really angry. Lestrange is dead, he bled out somehow…there was blood everywhere. Dolohov was there on his knees in front of him. He looked in rough shape. You-Know-Who closed his wound, I think. His arm was missing, but there wasn't any blood. He refused to give him pain potions. He said he failed his job. That it was his punishment." Harry was gasping. "He knows about the horcruxes. He knows we're after them for sure." He took another breath. "He wants to know who betrayed him…which one of his followers betrayed him. Dolohov told him there was someone in Death Eater robes fighting them."

"He is calling every one of his followers to him, right now." Regulus said, righting himself again. He was clenching and unclenching his left hand. "I bet they're planning what they're going to do next." Harry and Hermione nodded at him. "Does he come to the school, where he knows there is one and one of his followers is headmaster? Or does he risk it, and search everywhere else first?" Regulus looked to Harry. "What do you think he's going to do, Harry? What's your gut feeling?"

"Why would you ask Harry? You're the Death Eater! Wouldn't you know better?" Ron scoffed at him.

"Ron! Don't be a git!" Ginny yelled at him as she smacked his shoulder.

"I respect his opinion on the matter, Mr. Weasley." Regulus calmly spoke to Ron. "I haven't been around the Dark Lord in almost twenty years. People change in that time. I'm asking your friend, because he seems to have a good idea on what the Dark Lord is doing. What he is feeling. It would be foolish not to ask his opinion on the matter."

Hermione was looking at Regulus, tears in her eyes. Harry was a horcrux, she knew it and so did Regulus. She turned her head to look at Remus, he was watching Harry. He'd never seen him see into You-Know-Who's head before. He turned to her, and subtly nodded at her. He realised it too.

"I think he's coming here." Harry said. "I don't know why I know that…just that he is. It feels right to me."

Regulus nodded at him and gave him half a smile. "Then we need to split up and get the diadem sooner rather than later."

Aberforth stepped forward. "Up the stairs there is a painting of a girl. It's a passageway into the room of requirement. I've heard a rumour that there are a number of students hiding in there."

Luna piped up. "Oh, there are. We've been hiding in there since the start of the term. I only left the room to visit my father for Christmas, but I was taken from the train. Come on, Harry. I'll help you find the diadem." She grabbed his arm and started walking up the stairs, pulling him along.

Regulus looked to the redheads. "Weasley's, go with them and try to organize an escape route for the younger students. We need to get as many out without anyone knowing." They all nodded at him and started up the stairs. Regulus looked to Dean. "I don't know who you are, but you should go as well. There are a lot of kids in there. The more help the better." Dean nodded at him and followed the Weasley's and Harry and Luna.

Hermione, Remus, Regulus and Aberforth remained. "The boy's a horcrux, isn't he?" Aberforth asked them, when he heard the portrait swing shut.

nodded, and cleared his throat, "It appears so."

Another commotion was heard outside of the back room. They all raised their wands as Aberforth walked to the door to open it. Molly and Arthur and their group of Order members came walking in. Arthur was holding an old boot and placed it on the table next to the portkey Remus had placed there earlier. "Bill and Fleur and their group should be right behind us," Molly said, as she gave Hermione a hug. "Where are my other children?" she asked Remus, taking in Hermione's hair and eye colour.

Regulus responded. "I've asked them to help evacuate the kids out of the school as quickly as they can."

Molly turned to look at him. "Regulus Black…I heard stories about you when I was younger and had less children." Regulus nodded, expecting an earful – if he was to believe everything Sirius told him of the woman. "It's amazing how having children can change us, isn't it?"

He nodded at her in agreement. "Yes, ma'am."

Hermione was watching the interaction. Ready to jump in to defend Regulus.

"We'll have a chat after all this is over. Now is not the time." She told him. Regulus nodded at her again.

"We need to get into our positions, before Death Eaters storm the castle," Remus cut in. "Harry has the map and he is in the Room of Requirement. He knows to leave it there for everyone to see." The Order members nodded at Remus, and began to walk up the stairs.

"I need to destroy this horcrux before more people arrive, and kids start to evacuate." Regulus stated to the room.

Hermione, Remus, and Aberforth left the back room and waited in the pub. Hermione stood facing the closed door of the room. Remus and Aberforth keeping watch of the front of the pub. She was nervous. She didn't know what the horcrux would do.

Suddenly, she could hear a commotion in the back room. Rattling could be heard, like the cup was shaking uncontrollably. She could hear muffled sounds coming through the door. A struggle, she thought. She heard Regulus yell out, and then a loud crash. Silence.

Hermione whimpered. "I have to see what happened," she whispered to Remus and Aberforth. She took a step in the direction of the door, when suddenly Regulus yanked it open.

"All done!" He beamed at her, holding the remains of the cup.

Hermione was relieved.

The third portkey suddenly appeared in the middle of the pub. Bill and Fleur and other Order members, including Kingsley Shacklebolt, appeared.

"Upstairs through the portrait of the girl," Remus said in greeting. "Bill can you stay here for a moment, we have a question for you about something with regard to your expertise."

"Of course, Remus." Bill said as he stepped to the side and let everyone else through.

Once everyone else had gone up the stairs, Hermione looked at Bill. "We think Harry is a horcrux…almost 100 percent sure. Do you know how to remove one without harming Harry?"

Bill looked at her with sad eyes, and shook his head at her. "I've looked in all my books on the subject. Everything I've done in Egypt, when I was there. They were all in objects. We just destroyed the object. That's what everyone does. I've never heard of a horcrux in a living host before."

"In two living hosts," Regulus stated. "We can't forget about the snake, Nagini."

"But I don't care if we kill the snake." Hermione broke down. "I care about killing Harry. What are we going to do?" Her eyes were filled with tears.

Remus muttered softly, "Maybe it'll be like before. Maybe You-Know-Who will just be a shell if we try to kill him. Maybe we can do that and get more time to figure out what to do with Harry."

"We don't have any more time. This is it," finished Regulus.

"We need to go up there, to figure out what is all going on," Remus said.

"I'll stay here, and help the kids get a portkey out of here. I have enough junk lying around to make a few dozen portkeys at least. It's still the location we all agreed on, correct?" Aberforth asked Remus.

"Yes," Remus replied. He turned to Regulus and Hermione. "Come on you two. We have a lot of work to do."


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The summer after Hermione's 6th year begins with her coming to the realization that she is not her parents' daughter. Follow Hermione as she comes to terms with who she is and where she comes from. The actions of good people are questioned, and people on the other side of the war are not as bad as they seem. Everyone has their secrets.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The italics part of Lord V’s speech is taken directly from J.K Rowling’s Deathly Hallows.

Hermione, Regulus, Remus and Bill raced up the stairs of the Hog's Head and entered the portrait passageway into the Room of Requirement. All four of them were panting by the time they reached the end of the tunnel and pushed open the door into the secret room. As they stepped down the stairs, travelling further into the room. Harry was standing there with Luna as she was explaining that they wouldn't be able to find the diadem unless everyone left the safety of the room. Remus and Bill told Regulus and Hermione that they were heading to Professor McGonagall's office to let her know what was happening. The rest of the Order had stationed themselves in agreed upon spots throughout the school, guarding the secret entrances into the castle, as well as the numerous entrances spaced throughout the place. A few had also been told to keep watch from the various towers. Ron and Molly were attempting to gather groups of students that had been hiding in the room for the better part of the school year.

Regulus noticed only students from three of the houses were present, just Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Gryffindor. Maybe the Weasley twins were getting them, he hoped. "Where are the twins? Where are Miss Weasley and the boy?" He asked the room, "Are they getting all of the other students?

Ron spoke up. "Well, yeah. Ginny and Dean are sneaking off to the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff common rooms to pick them up and tell them what is going on. That they need to evacuate quickly. Harry gave them the map so they wouldn't get caught. Fred and George are running to the Gryffindor common room to get the Gryffindors that are still there."

"And the Slytherins…who is getting them?" Regulus asked him. The room went still and quiet.

"No one…I didn't think we needed to…" Ron finished weakly, already seeing the error of his plan.

"Didn't think we needed to?" Regulus repeated back to him. "Are they not students here too? Not every Slytherin is a Death Eater, Ron. Last I heard, Gryffindor had a Death Eater in its ranks too. Pettigrew was a Gryffindor, was he not? I am sure the other houses have their fair share, too."

Ron nodded at him, gulping. "Yes, sir." He hesitated, "I don't know the password to get in. We don't know the password. None of the Slytherin students were hiding in here with everyone else."

Harry spoke up. "I know where the Slytherin common room is, I can try to get them out. I probably need someone to come with me though. I am not sure if I'd be taken seriously or hexed. Regulus how about you come with me…they should listen to you more than me."

Regulus shook his head at Harry. "You and Luna need to focus on the diadem." He raised his voice, commanding attention of everyone in the room. "Everyone in this room needs to leave. Aberforth, the bartender of the Hog's Head, has portkeys set up for every single student in this school to get to safety. Death Eaters and the Dark Lord are on their way, if they aren't here already. You need to get out now."

"What if we want to stay and fight?" A small Gryffindor called out to him.

Regulus smiled at him. "It isn't safe for you to do so. These people will try to kill you, and won't hesitate to do so. Anyone who is not of age needs to get out now. Anyone who is of age, I can't tell you what to do…but I highly recommend leaving, please." He looked to Hermione. "Hermione, you're coming with me to get the Slytherins out of here." They began to walk to the doorway, handing the sword to Harry as they passed him and Luna.

Not one student had moved to leave.

Neville Longbottom spoke up. "Come on people, get out of here. You heard the man! Anyone lower than seventh year gets a portkey out of this place. I won't take 'no' for an answer. It's not safe here anymore." People started walking to the secret passageway leaving the place. Listening to their leader.

"Thank you, Neville and Regulus," Molly called to them, as she was finally able to herd the students toward the passageway.

...

* * *

...

Outside of the Room of Requirement, Regulus and Hermione were quickly making their way towards the dungeons, when, Hermione had a sudden thought. She stopped walking and grabbed Regulus' right arm. He stopped and looked at her. "What is it?" he asked.

"It's not even night yet. What if they aren't in their common rooms?" She looked at Regulus worriedly. "What do we do then?"

Regulus looked at his watch. "Classes should be done by now. They'll be dropping their stuff in their rooms before they head to the Great Hall for dinner in a bit. Remus and Bill are notifying McGonagall of what is happening. She will help too, I think. As will the other professors. Come, we need to hurry." They started walking again. The halls were empty.

It was eerie. It didn't feel like a school anymore.

After a few minutes they eventually reached the dungeons and the blank wall where the Slytherin common room was hidden. Regulus was rolling his left shoulder, attempting to gain an understanding of how bad his arm was. "A bit better," he muttered to himself.

He squinted his eyes in thought. "Salazar." He guessed the password. Nothing happened. Hermione was watching him; waiting, worrying. "Pureblood," Regulus called out. A doorway appeared. "Only two tries…not bad, eh?" He smiled at Hermione as he grabbed the handle and pushed the door open.

The common room was full of students. Regulus and Hermione stopped once they took a few steps into the room. Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at the two intruders.

"Hello," Regulus said to the silent room. "I'm Regulus Black. I'm sure most of you know Hermione here," He looked at her out of the corner of his eyes. Paying attention to their audience. "The school is being evacuated. Death Eaters and the Dark Lord are on their way. We need to get the young ones out." They all just looked at him. "Today would be good." He added on.

"How do we know this isn't a trap? That you aren't a Death Eater yourself. You are certainly dressed like one. And aren't you supposed to be dead?" a voice called out. The room turned and looked at a young girl sitting near the window looking into the lake.

"Miss Greengrass, correct?" Regulus asked her, recognizing her family's characteristics. She nodded. "I hid from everyone. Everyone thought I was dead. I kept it that way until recently." He looked at Hermione, she was wringing her hands, nervous. "I walked away from the Dark Lord and his followers almost twenty years ago. I promise you this is not a trap. It is not safe here anymore. We have portkeys for everyone to get away."

"You're a traitor to the cause!" Someone yelled. Draco Malfoy quickly stunned two people. Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle collapsed on the ground. He then sent off an incarcerous directed at his two former henchmen.

"Ignore them…cousin. They don't know any better." Draco drawled at him, standing up and looking at both Regulus and Hermione standing there.

"Well, I'm not going to sit here and wait around to get killed. Self-preservation and all that." Pansy Parkinson said to fill the silence. "Come on, little ones. Let's get out of here." She stood up and dusted off her robes. The first and second year Slytherin students followed suit. Hermione noticed that they were wincing as they stood. A few had very obvious injuries on their bodies and were hugging their arms or their sides.

"What's happened to them?" Hermione asked Pansy. Pansy looked at Hermione, taking in her new appearance.

"The Carrow's like to get Crabbe and Goyle and some other seventh years to torture the lower years with the cruciatus curse so they can get used to using it. Crabbe and Goyle were the some of the only ones actually throwing a full strength curse. It's the only thing they are good at, unfortunately. It's hard to see reason and see that something is wrong when you are finally good at something. Most everyone else faked it, eventually. We saw that it was wrong." Hermione nodded at her. Pansy smirked at her, looking between Hermione and Regulus, noting the similarities. "Oh Draco, you are going to be in so much trouble…" She chuckled. Draco gulped. Regulus snorted to himself, attempting to hold his laughter in.

"Where do we escape from?" Pansy asked them.

"The Room of Requirement," Hermione started. Pansy nodded, knowing where it was, having been on the Inquisitorial Squad in fifth year. "There is a secret passage to the Hog's Head in there, where there are portkeys waiting to take everyone away. Everyone can leave if they want to…not just the lower years. Everyone is free to go." A few more students got up and made to leave with Pansy and the others.

"Anyone who is not of age is required to leave," Regulus began. "You don't want to be a part of this. They will kill you regardless of whatever house you are from. Whoever your family is. They don't care. Trust me."

"What if we are of age?" Theodore Nott replied. "My Father is a Death Eater…I would rather fight against him than run away. I never really believed in his shit, I just tried to keep my head down to avoid his wrath."

Regulus looked him dead in the eyes. "I can't tell you what you must do if you are of age. But you need to know that it is going to be to the death. The fighting will be to the death. That's how Death Eaters fight…that's how I fought. It isn't a school duel." Theodore nodded at him in understanding. "No one will judge you for getting away. Someone needs to watch the younger kids. There will be a lot."

"Come on everyone who wants to leave this place," Pansy called out. "We need to get out of here." The majority of the Slytherin students got up to leave with her as she walked towards the door. "Thank you for thinking of us," she said to Hermione as she and Tracey Davis walked past, leading the other students out.

As the last of the students leaving the school emptied out of the room, Hermione looked to the ones who were staying behind to fight. Draco Malfoy, Theodore Nott, Daphne Greengrass, Blaise Zabini, and Millicent Bulstrode were left standing there.

"Aren't you marked, Draco?" Regulus asked him. "Did you not get called away a few minutes ago?"

Draco nodded. "Yeah, I am. I was in potions class when it burned. Snape came running in and told me to stay behind. To not respond to the summons. He's left, as has Amycus Carrow. Alecto Carrow is still here, she was told to stay by her brother apparently. She should be in her office, waiting for her brother to return."

"You have your mother's wand, right?" Regulus asked him.

Draco looked at him, shocked that he knew. "How did you…" He paused, understanding suddenly. "You're in contact with my mother aren't you?" Regulus nodded. "Is she okay? Is she hurt?"

Regulus shook his head. "I saw her this morning. She was fine, I promise." Draco looked relieved. "We should meet everyone in the Room of Requirement to go over our plans. Everyone with me and Hermione, please."

When the group got to the Room of Requirement, there was a bottle-neck of students pushing through the door to escape. A mishmash of colours from all four houses were lined up together. Pansy Parkinson and Tracey Davis were at the end of the line, making sure everyone would be able to get out of the castle. Harry and Luna were waiting to the side in the hallway. Harry holding the sword.

"Have you got the diadem yet?" Hermione asked Harry.

Harry shook his head. "It's been a non-stop lineup since you lot left. We have to wait for them to leave before I can do anything. Fred and George said that Professor McGonagall got rid of Alecto Carrow…apparently she transfigured her into a chair and locked her up somewhere. Remus has the map now. He's just in there going over plans with some of the professors and some of the seventh years. You guys can squeeze through."

Remus and the professors came running out of the room. "They've breeched!" He yelled to Regulus and Hermione. "We need to reinforce everywhere." He looked to the small group of Slytherin students staying to fight, wands drawn. He handed the map to Harry. "Follow me, you lot." They all nodded at him and took off with him and the other professors down the hallway.

Regulus looked at Hermione. "We stay in pairs, always." A loud crash could be heard not too far off from where they were. He looked at the students in the hallway. A few of the younger kids were starting to cry, looking behind themselves to try and see who was coming for them. "Everyone stays in pairs. No one splits up. Is that understood? Hermione and I will try to hold everyone off from getting up here." He paused. "Harry, after you destroy the diadem, you and Luna come and find me and Hermione. We need to get the snake." Harry nodded in understanding.

Pansy and Tracey had their wands out, backs facing the escaping students in a dueling stance. Protecting.

"We got it here, go!" Tracey called out. Hermione and Regulus took off after Remus and the others down the hallway.

"Watch out for McLaggen, Hermione. He's a nasty piece of work, if he is still here," Pansy called out to Hermione as her and Regulus ran off to defend the castle.

...

* * *

...

 _Chaos_.

It was absolute chaos. Hermione could taste the spells in the air. Dust was everywhere. It was hard to see. Hard to breathe. Her and Regulus stood side-by-side and fought off the continuous pressure from Death Eaters and the Dark Lord's followers attempting to get to the Room of Requirement. They'd been at it for what felt like ages. Hermione wasn't sure how long they'd been fighting for. Too long.

"They're imperiused." Regulus called out to her and a few of the Order members that were stationed with them. He quickly brought down someone in full Death Eater regalia with a well-place killing curse hitting the man square in the chest. He moved on to another Death Eater, throwing spells at him quicker than Hermione had ever seen anyone do. The unknown Death Eater was keeping up with him.

Hermione was trying to incapacitate those who appeared to be imperiused. The ones without the Death Eater regalia. Stunning spells, and incarcerous spells hit them one after the other. They were falling to the floor, landing in a heap. From out of nowhere she was hit in the left arm with a slicing hex. She screamed out in pain, turning to where the spell came from. McLaggen, Hermione thought. He was smirking at her. Arrogant and proud.

Hermione shot spell after spell toward the prick. He was blocking everything. Snarling at her as he did. "Come on, you frigid bitch. I thought you were the brightest witch of her age. Perfect marks. Perfect life. Fuck you." He gloated her, blocking another one of her curses directed toward him. He sneered; face changing, becoming more and more angry. "You can't stop us. Crucio!" He yelled out at her.

It sliced through her shield like a warm knife through butter, and hit her in the chest. Hermione dropped to the floor. Screaming. Burning. Pain. She was gasping for air. Trying to get her bearings. She heard laughing.

"Did you like that? Want some more?" Cormac called out to her.

Hermione still had her wand in her hand. It hadn't hurt as much as Bellatrix's curse. She struggled to gain her footing. Slowly standing back up on her feet. McLaggen stopped laughing. Hermione snarled at him. "Is that all you got? I wouldn't have graded you better than an acceptable."

McLaggen raised his wand at her, glaring. He began the incantation of the killing curse. Hermione hit him with an entrails-expelling curse before he could finish. He fell to the ground. Dead.

Regulus finished off the Death Eater he was dueling. Turned to look at Hermione. "You okay?"

Hermione nodded at him. The hallway they were situated in was littered with people, some stunned and some deceased. Only the Order was left standing.

From behind them Molly, Ron, Pansy, Tracey, and Harry and Luna came running. "All the kids are out!" Ron called out to them.

"I thought you two were leaving. Self-preservation and all that." Hermione called out to Pansy, grinning.

"Oh shut up. We changed our minds." She grinned back at her.

Regulus looked toward Harry and Luna. Harry was holding the destroyed diadem in his one hand, sword in his other. "Time to get the snake," he said to Harry. "Luna, you're with Hermione now. Harry with me."

Harry stepped closer toward Regulus. "I think he's in the Shrieking Shack. He felt this horcrux get destroyed, I think. He was angry for a bit. I slipped into his mind. The snake is with him. As is Snape." He pulled out his invisibility cloak. "We're too tall to cover everything, but it's better than nothing. We need to get to the shack."

Regulus grabbed the cloak with his left hand, wincing as he did so. He was able to raise his arm above his head, and rest his hand on top of his head. The cloak flowing out and covering Harry and himself almost entirely. Their feet peaked through as they walked, but it was better than nothing. Regulus held his wand in his right hand as did Harry, who was carrying the sword in his left.

They made their way down through the castle as quickly as they could. It was still slow moving. There was fighting occurring everywhere. Parts of the castle were crumbling onto the floor, creating obstacles for the pair. Regulus saw the small Gryffindor boy from earlier in the Room of Requirement with another student participating in the battle. "How the fuck did they get back in here?" he muttered to Harry.

Harry shook his head. "I have no idea. That's Dennis Creevey and his older brother Colin. They're muggleborn. I don't know how they are even in the school to begin with."

Regulus stuck his wand arm through the seam in the cloak and stunned the Death Eater the boys were dueling. They twirled around, but were unable to see who had helped them.

"We should tell them to get out of here…they don't belong here," Harry said to Regulus.

"We have told them. They didn't listen. We need to move, Harry. The quicker this is over the better."

Harry hesitated, but agreed in the end.

Regulus and Harry carried on through the castle. They eventually made it to the front entrance. The quickest way to the Whomping Willow. They made a beeline towards the tree and Regulus hit it with an immobulus charm, freezing the tree in place. They slipped through the entranceway and trekked through the tunnel toward the Shrieking Shack, listening carefully as they went. Before long they were at the door in the floor, allowing them entrance into the shack.

"Not a peep." Regulus hissed at Harry as they slowly opened the door. Still under the invisibility cloak they followed the sounds coming from one of the rooms of the shack. Through the claw marks in the walls and holes in the door, Regulus could see the Dark Lord speaking to Severus. He was talking about how the wand he had didn't work properly. The Elder Wand. Regulus remembered that story from his childhood. It was a myth, he thought to himself. What is he playing at? He thinks he has the fucking Death Stick?

The Dark Lord hissed to his pet and stepped away from his right-hand man. The snake struck Severus in the neck, puncturing it instantly. Severus collapsed on the dirty floor. Gasping for air. Trying to hold his neck. Trying to cover the wound.

The Dark Lord hissed at the snake again, and Regulus watched as it sided up close once again to its master. They both disapparated away. The Dark Lord suddenly started speaking to everyone in the battle. " _You have fought…valiantly. Lord Voldemort knows how to value bravery. Yet you have sustained heavy losses. If you continue to resist me, you will all die one by one. I do not wish this to happen. Every drop of magical blood spilled is a loss and a waste. Lord Voldemort is merciful. I command my forces to retreat, immediately. You have one hour. Dispose of your dead with dignity. Treat your injured." There was a pause. "I speak now, Harry Potter, directly to you. You have permitted your friends to die for you rather than face me yourself. I shall wait for one hour in the Forbidden Forest. If, at the end of that hour you have not come to me, have not given yourself up, then battle commences. This time I shall enter the fray myself, Harry Potter, and I shall find you, and I shall punish every last man, woman and child who has tried to conceal you from me. One hour_."

Harry waited a moment before throwing off the cloak and rushing to Snape. Regulus followed Harry into the room. Snape was laying on the floor, twitching from the blood loss, but still conscious. Silver tears were running down his face from his eyes and nose. Memories, Regulus thought to himself.

Severus was looking at Harry. "Take them," he whispered to Harry. Regulus handed Harry a clear vial he had just conjured. Snape looked over to Regulus. Nodding at him as Harry quickly collected the memories. Regulus watch Severus take one last breath before he expired completely. Regulus suddenly winced in pain, clutching his left arm. The Death Eaters were being summoned.

"I need to see these." Harry said quietly to Regulus. "There's a pensieve in the headmaster's office. I need to see these," he repeated. Harry closed Severus' eyes, stood up, and turned back toward the passageway out of the shack. Regulus followed.

...

* * *

...

Regulus and Harry were able to quickly get back into the castle. The Great Hall was full of people. Some people were laying on the ground on makeshift gurneys. Sheets pulled over them. Regulus spotted the Weasley family and Hermione huddled together. Remus was sitting up on one of the gurneys, wincing as Hermione was dabbing him with Dittany and forcing potions down his throat. She had tears running down her cheeks. The Weasley's were focused on someone else. Someone lying down on a gurney next to Remus, unmoving. Regulus and Harry walked closer. Regulus was holding his breath. The Weasley girl, Ginny, was wailing next to the person on the gurney. Her mom was holding her, crying just as hard as her daughter.

"Percy…" Harry muttered to Regulus. "It's Percy." Ginny looked up at the sound of Harry's voice.

"He came out of nowhere and jumped in the way of a curse aimed at me…he saved my life." Ginny looked at Harry, eyes bloodshot. "He saved my life." She broke down again and leaned into her mother's arms.

Regulus looked over at Hermione. "He abandoned the family before my fifth year. Said they were fools for following Dumbledore. That the ministry was right in saying that You-Know-Who was not back. That it was lies spread by Dumbledore and Harry to try and overthrow the Ministry," she whispered to him. Regulus nodded in understanding.

"Oh no. Please, no," Harry whispered to himself. He was looking toward another row of gurneys.

Regulus followed his line of sight. The Creevey brothers were lying next to each other. Unmoving. Madam Pomfrey was slipping a sheet over the both of them.

Regulus looked down at Remus. Unable to continue to look at the small Gryffindor boys. He squatted down beside him, next to Hermione. "What happened to you? Will you be okay?"

Remus nodded at him, understanding that the brisk change of topic was a coping mechanism. "Dolohov clipped me with his curse. I was able to retaliate though. He's dead. I was able to get Pettigrew as well. The rat bastard is done. Finished."

Regulus nodded at him. "How?"

Remus looked at him. "Blood boiling curse. I boiled him to death. Harsh, I know. But…I wanted him to suffer."

"He had it coming. He fucked with a lot of people's lives. Ruined a lot of people's lives." Regulus responded to him. Eyes cold. Thinking of his brother stuck in Azkaban for twelve years. "Is Bellatrix still around. Have you seen her at all?" He asked Remus.

Remus nodded at him. "She is still around. I saw her kill the Creevey brothers. I couldn't get to them in time to provide back-up. She left suddenly just after You-Know-Who spoke to everyone."

"Where are the Slytherin students who stayed behind?" Regulus looked up from Remus, looking around the room. He just spotted the group of them huddled around a body when Remus responded to him.

"Tracey Davis was killed by a Death Eater. Theodore said he thinks it was his father that killed her. He said he got him good in retaliation. He doesn't think he'll make it for too much longer. He wouldn't tell me what curse he used. Just said that it was a family thing. Nott Senior got away from the group when You-Know-Who summoned them all back to him." Remus said to him.

Regulus and Remus continued to chat with each other. Filling each other in on what had happened. Minutes passed. No one noticed that one of them was missing.

...

* * *

...

Neville Longbottom came into the Great Hall carrying the Sword of Gryffindor. Hermione and Regulus looked over at him.

"Where did Harry go?" Hermione asked Neville, her eyes not leaving the sword.

Neville stopped in front of Hermione and Regulus. "He told me he had something to do. He gave me the sword. Told me I had to kill the snake. He's left the castle. I think he's gone to meet the bastard in the Forbidden Forest."


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The summer after Hermione's 6th year begins with her coming to the realization that she is not her parents' daughter. Follow Hermione as she comes to terms with who she is and where she comes from. The actions of good people are questioned, and people on the other side of the war are not as bad as they seem. Everyone has their secrets.

Narcissa was standing next to her husband in the middle of the Forbidden Forest. The Dark Lord's followers had been called back from the battle. They were waiting for the Boy-Who-Lived to make an appearance. The Dark Lord was convinced the Potter boy would come to him. That he would sacrifice himself for his friends. Narcissa, on the other hand, thought the Dark Lord was far too confident in the destruction caused by his most loyal. The Death Eaters had taken a hit. A big one. Bigger than anyone thought they would have. The Order fought just as dirty as them, they fought like Death Eaters. They fought to the death. Good job, Regulus, Narcissa thought to herself. She watched a few of the Death Eaters take a look around at the empty places – where their comrades were supposed to be standing. She watched them realize that there were more empty spaces than full ones. 

They were in trouble, and they knew it.

She turned her head slightly and watched Nott collapse to the ground, unable to stand anymore. He was gasping for air, drowning. Someone had hit him with a brutal, slow moving curse. It reeked to Narcissa as family magic of some sort. Deadly. He was dying and he knew it, too. _Good riddance_ , she thought. This bastard was one of the cruelest men she had ever met. She touched her throat in memory of what he had done to her weeks ago. He made eye contact with her as she watched him kneeling on the soiled ground. She returned his stare with cool eyes, pursed lips and her back straight as she looked down on him. She was a Black by birth, and right now she was looking the part.

"Enough weakness," the Dark Lord hissed out. "Bella, if you will."

"Anything my Lord," Bellatrix crooned. " _Avada Kedavra_!" She shouted at Nott. He collapsed face first into the dirt floor. Dead.

It had been almost an hour when Narcissa saw the two Death Eaters the Dark Lord told to keep watch for Potter return to the circle. They were alone. What now, Dark Lord? Narcissa thought to herself. What do you do now?

"He hasn't come, my Lord." Rowle said, stating the obvious. He looked to the remaining Lestrange brother walking beside him as they returned to their leader.

The Dark Lord was shocked. Narcissa almost laughed. "I could have sworn he would have come to me," he hissed to his followers.

"Oh, I did come." A voice came from behind a tree. Harry Potter stepped out from the tree, stuffing something shimmery into his cloak pocket.

Narcissa watched him step into the centre of the circle of Death Eaters. No wand in his hand. _What are you doing? What are you playing at, Potter?_ Narcissa watched in confusion as Potter just stood there facing the Dark Lord.

"Harry!" Hagrid called out. He was tied up against a tree. "What're yeh doing here? Yeh shouldn't've come 'ere."

Harry shrugged at him. "Here I am." Narcissa watch him look at the Dark Lord. Waiting. Waiting for him to make the first move. _Interesting_.

"AVADA KEDAVRA" the Dark Lord hollered at Potter.

Green light saturated the surroundings. Narcissa had to shield her eyes from its brightness. It suddenly cleared, leaving behind darkness and silence. She looked to where Potter was, and saw he was not moving on the ground. Lying on his back.

"My Lord!" Bellatrix screeched.

Narcissa quickly turned her head toward the sound. The Dark Lord had collapsed. He was having a difficult time standing back up on his feet. Bellatrix was trying to guide him back up. Narcissa could tell the Dark Lord was relying heavily on her to stand again. _Interesting_.

"Someone check the boy, to make sure." The Dark Lord ordered his followers. Even his voice sounded weak.

Narcissa walked over to the Potter boy before anyone else could. She kneeled on the dirt ground, leaning over him. She got close to him, her hair covering his face from view of those around him. She put her hand on his chest. She could feel his heart beating. Strong. _Alive_. She got a little bit closer to his ear. "Draco, my son, is he still in the castle? Is he still alive?" she whispered to him.

She watch Harry open his eyes a slice. Taking in who was talking to him. "Yes, he's in the castle," he whispered. "He's safe, Regulus made sure."

Narcissa let out a breath. Checking that the barriers in her mind were still strong. She stood up and turned to the Dark Lord. "He's dead."

...

* * *

...

The Dark Lord and his followers trekked out of the forest and stopped in front of the entrance to the school. The Order and those sided with them were waiting for them. Standing there. Watching. Hagrid was forced to carry the Potter boy in his arms. Narcissa could hear him weeping.

"Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived, is dead," The Dark Lord called out. He was grinning. His snake was out of its protective barrier, laying on the ground next to its master. Coiled. Resting. _Arrogant bastard_ , Narcissa thought to herself. _You've made a big mistake_.

Narcissa could hear crying out in the crowd of people. They were in shock. Disbelief. She was scanning the crowd, looking for Draco. Looking for Regulus. _There they are_. She spotted them in the centre of the group, hidden from view from most. Regulus had pushed Draco behind himself. Protecting him from the possibility of stray curses thrown his way. Regulus had found her in the crowd of Death Eaters. He was looking at her. She shook her head at him. _Still alive_.

She watched as Regulus leaned over to a student standing next to him. Longbottom. He muttered something at him. The Longbottom boy nodded. Regulus turned to Hermione on the other side of him. He muttered to her as well. She nodded at him, not taking her eyes off of the Potter boy. She muttered something back at him, nodding towards Potter.

Regulus was making his way forward, toward the front of the group facing the Dark Lord. Narcissa could see the Longbottom boy slowly doing the same. Cautiously. He was eyeing the snake. Narcissa smirked.

The Dark Lord was rambling on about gifting anyone who wanted to live, positions in his ranks. That he would welcome them with open arms, regardless of their previous stance.

Regulus stopped at the front of the group. He was in full Death Eater regalia, minus the mask.

The Dark Lord stopped talking.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Have I interrupted something?" Regulus conversationally asked the Dark Lord. He stood there. Wand in hand. Waiting for a response.

The Dark Lord blinked. Shocked. "You're supposed to be dead," he responded to Regulus.

"Whoops, I guess not. I must not have gotten that notification. Apologies, my Lord," he gave the Dark Lord a mock bow, never taking his eyes off of him.

"My Lord, let me kill him. He is a traitor to the cause. A disgrace to the House of Black." Whimpered Bellatrix. "Let me have him." She was watching her Lord. Waiting for his approval.

"Oh Bella, consider it a date." Regulus was smirking at her. She turned her attention to him. "You tortured my daughter. I can't let you get away with that. It just wouldn't be fair."

Hermione was standing at the front of the group next to Regulus. She too had her wand in hand. Watching. Paying attention to her surroundings. She raised a brow at Bellatrix, and pursed her lips. Narcissa chuckled to herself. They were a distraction. A distraction for the Longbottom boy. Narcissa watched as he finally reached the front of the group. He had a sword in his hand. The sword she had returned to Potter as she let them out of the dungeons.

Suddenly there was yelling. Longbottom rushed forward. Potter rolled out of Hagrid's arms, landing on his feet. Draco's wand in his hand. Very much alive. Regulus and Hermione were throwing curses at the Death Eaters. Harry threw a few of his own. The Order and everyone else soon followed suit. The Battle had commenced.

Harry was quick to send a hex to the snake. Throwing it in the air. Neville raised the sword and sliced its head off as the beast came back down.

The Dark Lord yelled out in anguish. He threw out a few curses of his own. Slughorn got hit. Narcissa watched as he fell to the ground.

"Mother!"

A yell caught her attention. Draco was facing her and Lucius. Grabbing at them trying to get them to safety. They had no wands. Only Draco had one.

"CRUCIO!" Narcissa heard Bellatrix holler near her. She jumped and looked to the noise. Hermione was thrashing around on the ground. Bellatrix was laughing as she held the curse on the girl. Insanity in her eyes.

"CRUCIO!" A male voice roared from behind Bellatrix. She dropped to the ground on her stomach. Thrashing her face into the stone walkway.

Hermione was trying to get up off the ground. Draco rushed forward and helped her up. Helped her get out of the way. He pushed her next to Narcissa and turned to stand in front of his parents. Protecting.

Regulus was standing over Bellatrix. He still had her held in the curse. Hatred in his eyes.

He released the curse, and Bellatrix slowly rolled over on her back. Blood was dripping down her face from the sharp rocks. She raised her wand at Regulus. He sliced at her arm, cutting her just under her armpit. She dropped her wand. Blood was spurting out. He sliced her inner thigh.

Narcissa watched at Regulus stepped closer to her sister. He bent over her, said something in her ear.

"Please…" Bellatrix whispered. Blood coating her teeth.

Regulus sliced Bellatrix's neck. Her blood spurting in his face.

Narcissa watched as Regulus looked at Hermione standing next to her. He held out a hand to her. Telling her to come with him. Hermione was shaking. Narcissa didn't think it was only from Bella's cruciatus curse. Hermione wouldn't move. She was wide-eyed staring at Regulus. She shook her head at him.

Suddenly everyone's attention was drawn toward the centre of the group. The Potter boy could be heard talking over everyone. Like he had placed a _sonorus_ on himself.

"That wand doesn't work for you, does it Tom?" Harry stated. Both he and the Dark Lord circling each other. "It just feels like every other wand, doesn't it? It doesn't feel any different from any other wand you've tried. I can tell you right now…you are not the true owner of the Elder Wand. You didn't earn it. It doesn't belong to you."

"You fool," the Dark Lord hissed at the teenager. "I killed Severus, of course I am the true owner of the Elder Wand. He killed Dumbledore. I killed Severus. It's mine."

Harry was shaking his head, smirking at the Dark Lord. "You don't have to kill someone to gain the power of their wand. A simple _expelliarmus_ would do, Tom. Severus never was the owner of Dumbledore's wand, the Elder Wand. Ever. Someone disarmed Dumbledore before any one of your Death Eaters got there. I watched them do it."

"No way." Narcissa could hear Draco mutter to himself. She looked at him, he looked at her. He was shocked. He was the one who had disarmed Dumbledore.

"Do you think you can defeat me, Tom" Harry called out to the Dark Lord. "You're weak. Your magic isn't as strong as it used to be since you came back, is it?"

Narcissa watched as they continued to circle each other.

"Do you want to know why that is, Tom?" Harry asked him. He continued without waiting for an answer. "It's because your soul has split too much. It's unstable. There isn't enough of yourself left." Harry started listing things off. "Diary – destroyed by me; Ring – destroyed by Dumbledore; Locket – which Regulus stole from you – destroyed by Ron; Cup – destroyed by Regulus; Diadem – destroyed by me; Snake – destroyed by Neville as you saw for yourself. And me – you left a bit of yourself by accident on me. In my scar. You destroyed that one yourself. Thanks for that by the way."

Harry stopped his circling. "There is only one bit left now." Harry smirked at the Dark Lord. "So how about we duel, Tom. Duel to the death." Harry raised his wand. The Dark Lord doing the same.

" _Avada Kedavra_!"

" _Stupefy_!"

Both spells were cast as the exact same time. A flash of blinding light. Narcissa had to squint. Then silence.

Only Harry Potter was left standing.

...

* * *

...

Narcissa was sitting with Draco and Lucius at one of the tables in the Great Hall. They had been sitting there for hours. The tables had been pushed against one wall, out of the way to place the injured and deceased onto gurneys on the floor. She was holding Draco's hand tightly. Watching Potter, Regulus, and Hermione speak to Kingsley Shacklebolt. Remus Lupin was standing near the group as well. Adding his points in when he was able to. Shacklebolt kept looking at her, Draco and Lucius. Then looking away, responding to the group.

Narcissa looked around the Great Hall. She could see the Weasley family huddled around each other. Holding each other close. Luna Lovegood was with them. As were a handful of students in Slytherin school uniforms. She could see Pansy, Blaise and Theo standing next to the Weasley twins. She spotted Millicent and Daphne sitting closer to the youngest Weasley boy, and Neville Longbottom. Molly Weasley looked over at Narcissa, she was holding her husband and daughter. Narcissa looked at the gurney on the floor in front of the Weasley family. A redhead young man was lying on it. Dead. Narcissa closed her eyes in shame. Tears fell on her cheeks. She opened her eyes again watching as Molly Weasley nodded at her in appreciation. Understanding the indiscriminate price of war.

Narcissa looked down at the table in front of her and closed her eyes. She didn't know what would happen to her family. She was tired, but it was finally truly over.

About an hour or so earlier – Narcissa estimated to herself - the Death Eaters left standing had been rounded up by aurors after having been restrained by the Order. The aurors had then disappeared from the castle with them. She heard McGonagall state to one of the aurors present that there was a chair in a cage in her office that was a Death Eater in disguise. Alecto Carrow. Narcissa had chuckled to herself. Impressed.

They were taking Death Eaters to holding cells, Narcissa figured. Maybe at the Ministry. Maybe the holding cells in Azkaban to await trial. She wasn't sure. She heard footsteps coming toward them. She kept her eyes closed. Her head turned down. _Judgement cometh_ , she thought to herself.

"Lucius Malfoy, please stand up for me." An unknown auror spoke from behind the trio.

Narcissa's husband slowly got to his feet.

"Please put your hands behind your back. We are placing you under arrest for your involvement with the dark wizard known as Lord Voldemort. We will be placing you in a holding cell in the Ministry to await your trial." The auror finished speaking.

Narcissa opened her eyes and turned her head toward the auror behind her. "Are all of the Death Eaters placed in the Ministry to await their trial?" She asked him, truly curious.

"No ma'am. The rest have been taken to Azkaban to await their respective trials. We have holding cells there that are more secure." He nodded to her. Understanding her reasoning behind the question. Safety for her husband.

"What about the children locked up there?" Narcissa asked him. "Are they free?"

"We have released all of them. They are all currently at St. Mungo's getting treated." Shacklebolt said to her. He was standing on the other side of the table with Regulus and the others, facing her. Narcissa nodded.

The auror popped away with her husband. "What now?" she asked Kingsley.

"For now, you and your son can leave. You can't go back to the manor yet. We need to check it and clear it. But you are free to go. When more things are settled, we will have to get a statement from yourself and your son, Draco." Kingsley said to her. She nodded at him, but didn't move to stand up.

"Where do we go?" Draco asked her.

"Remus and I will check out the Black Family home. We can all stay there if it is safe. We need room for some of your housemates. They have nowhere to go either." Regulus answered him.

"What's happened to Grimmauld Place?" Narcissa asked Regulus. She knew from her childhood visits that the place was usually locked down. Impenetrable.

"There was a security breach," Harry said to her. "Yaxley got in back in September last year."

"I will come and help," the oldest Weasley boy said from behind the group. "I am the cursebreaker after all."

"Are you sure Bill?" Remus asked him. "You should spend time with your family."

"So should you," Bill responded to Remus good naturedly. "I can get this done quicker than most everyone else here. Then I can spend more time with my family. So can you. Have you sent word to Tonks?"

Remus nodded. "I sent her a patronus."

Bill looked to Narcissa. "Give us another hour or so. We can get you and Draco out of here then. Is that alright with you?"

Narcissa nodded to him. "Of course. We can wait for as long as you need. No rush. Thank you for your help."

Draco spoke up suddenly. "Where have the other students gone? The ones that got portkeys out of here?" He looked between Regulus and Remus.

Bill laughed. "We've portkeyed them all to Romania. My brother Charlie and his mates get to babysit them all at the dragon reserve there. Not much different between them, I think." He snickered.

Remus cleared his throat, smiling. "We have to set up authorisation with the Romanian Ministry to send the portkeys back here. It should only take a day or so. Charlie is close with the portkey official in their ministry. He's helped us out a lot."


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The summer after Hermione's 6th year begins with her coming to the realization that she is not her parents' daughter. Follow Hermione as she comes to terms with who she is and where she comes from. The actions of good people are questioned, and people on the other side of the war are not as bad as they seem. Everyone has their secrets.

Hermione was in the room her and Ginny had shared the summer before her fifth year. She was hiding, she could admit to herself. Hiding from her father. Hiding from Harry. Hiding from herself. She was scared. She killed people. She watched as Regulus killed people. She couldn't get the sight of Regulus, slicing Bellatrix's throat and her blood spraying on his face, out of her head. She couldn't get the sight of him motioning to her to come with him, as the blood was dripping off his chin. It wouldn't leave her brain. It would replay in her head every time she closed her eyes. She couldn't forget McLaggen and his guts spilling on the floor of the castle by her wand. She couldn't forget the sound of Rabastan gasping on the ground after she sliced him open.

Harry had come with them to Grimmauld Place. He hadn't wanted to encroach on the Weasley's. They needed time to grieve. They had all arrived and had been sitting in the kitchen on the bottom floor of the house. Kreacher had been called by Regulus and – after taking time to calm the old elf down – Regulus had asked Kreacher to make everyone some dinner. Regulus had sat down on one side of her, Harry on the other. Harry touched her shoulder and Hermione freaked out. She jumped out of her chair. Wand drawn. Battle stance. The entire table of people stopped what they were doing and were watching her. Narcissa, Draco, Theo, Luna, Regulus and Harry. Draco was looking at her, arm raised, ladle in hand as he was scooping out some stew out of the pot on the table into his bowl. The stew was dripping onto the table. No one seemed to notice. Hermione ran upstairs. She slammed the door to her room and hid under the covers on the bed. It was where she was now.

Hermione could hear footsteps coming up the stairs. Slowly. She could hear the creaking of the floorboards as the person walked closer to her room. She heard the door open. Heard it creak softly. She heard a breath hitch. The door closed softly. She could almost feel as the person sat down on the floor beside her bed. She was facing them, but under the blanket.

"I am just going to remove the blanket, Hermione." Regulus spoke softly. "We need to talk. I need to look at you."

Hermione felt the blanket get pulled off her body. She was huddled in the fetal position. Wand held tightly in her hand. Knuckles white. She was pointing it at Regulus. Her body was shaking, but her wand held steady. She refused to blink.

Regulus showed Hermione his hands. They were empty. "I promise, Hermione. I promise I won't hurt you. No one here will hurt you." He swallowed, eyed her wand. "Can you put down the wand, Hermione? Can we do that?"

Hermione's eyes were filling up with tears. She was trying to wipe them clear, she needed to see. It was important to see. She was so scared.

"Hermione." Regulus' voice broke. "Hermione, please. I am so sorry. Please don't be afraid of me."

Hermione broke. The tears were rushing out. She couldn't stop them. She was wailing. She let go of her wand and hid her head in her hands, trying to make herself as small as she could as she lay curled on the bed. She was rocking on the bed. She couldn't stop the sounds coming out of her. It was suffocating. She couldn't breathe.

"You need to breathe, Hermione." Regulus said to her. "Take a deep breath. Come on, Hermione."

She felt his hand press on the mattress. Close to her body, but not touching her. He was reaching out to her.

"Take my hand, Hermione. Anchor yourself, and take a breath." Regulus softly said to her. "You're going to pass out."

His voice was soft to Hermione. Not terrifying. Not scary. Not threatening. Soft and kind. Hermione focused on that thought. Soft and kind. She was whimpering now. Not screaming. She slowly pulled one of her hands away from her face. She could see Regulus sitting on the floor, his arm extended on the bed toward her. Palm facing up. Waiting for her to take it. Hermione slowly and cautiously reached her hand to his. She hung on tightly.

"Take a breath," Regulus said to her. _Soft and Kind_.

She took a deep breath and exhaled. She took another breath. Then another.

Hermione remained curled in her ball. Hand holding Regulus'. He just sat on the floor. Watching her. Holding her hand. Hermione didn't know how long they stayed that way. She used her other hand and wiped her cheeks and under her nose. She swallowed. Her throat hurt. How long had she been screaming?

She slowly uncoiled herself. Bringing her legs down away from her torso. Looser. She remained on her side, facing Regulus. She swallowed again.

"I – I am a murderer," she whispered to him. "I've murdered people. Spilled their guts. Cut them open. I killed people. I've killed them."

"You did that in self-defense." Regulus whispered to her. "You would have died if you didn't do what you did."

Hermione ignored what he was saying to her. "You killed Bellatrix. You murdered her. You're a murderer. My father is a murderer." She took a breath. "I can't get you slitting Bellatrix' throat out of my head. Your face was covered in her blood. It was dripping off of you." Regulus closed his eyes. "I see that every time I close my eyes. I see McLaggen's intestines falling to the floor. I hear Rabastan gasping for breath after I sliced his chest open."

"I'm sorry," Regulus whispered to her. "I am sorry that you were forced to do what you had to do to survive. I am sorry that you killed people. I am sorry that you saw me like that. That you saw me kill people. I got carried away with Bellatrix. I shouldn't have done what I did. Not like that."

"Do you regret killing her?" Hermione asked.

"Honestly? No." Regulus responded. "I should have just killed her. Not torture her. I wanted to hurt her. I wanted to make her suffer. I wanted her to feel the pain that you felt. That so many other people felt because of her." He squeezed her hand. "But, I am glad that she is not here anymore. I am glad she is gone. I am glad that she will never come back to hurt anyone else." He paused. "I don't regret killing her. I would do it again in a heartbeat if I had to. To protect you."

Hermione looked at Regulus, shocked that he would admit such a thing.

Regulus noticed her reaction. "No secrets, Hermione. I would kill her again if I had to."

Hermione just looked at him. She didn't know how to respond. She was glad that he was honest with her. Glad that he didn't just tell her what she wanted to hear, saying that he wouldn't have killed Bellatrix if he had to do it again. She knew he was telling the truth.

For now, she knew that that was enough.

"I didn't mean to react the way I did," Hermione said to him. "I didn't mean to run away from everyone. I don't know why I did. Harry touched my shoulder and it caught me off guard and I panicked. I was already on edge and he just set me off. I was so scared."

"It's okay. You did nothing you should be ashamed of." Regulus paused. "Have you had panic attacks before?"

Hermione frowned to herself. "No. I don't think so. Is that what that was?"

Regulus nodded. "Draco started having them in his sixth year. Narcissa was worried and she kept getting in touch with me. She didn't know what to do. She didn't know how to help him. She wanted to know if I had the same issue when I was a kid. When I was going through the same thing as he was."

"Did you?"

"A few times, yes." Regulus admitted.

"How did you stop them?"

"I was taught occlumency at a very young age. All Blacks were. We were raised by paranoid parents, thinking everyone was out to get them. I was able to place the acts that I did into a separate space. I was able to separate my thoughts, my actions, and compartmentalize them and place them into a box inside my head." Regulus responded. "I didn't always work. It doesn't always work. But I think it has helped me keep my sanity. I think that if I did what I did during the First War without doing that, I would have gone insane. I would have been another Bellatrix."

"Do you think I should learn occlumency?" Hermione asked him, still laying on her side on the bed. "I read up on it, when Harry was forced to let Snape teach him occlumency in fifth year. I wanted to know what he was going through."

Regulus softly smiled at her. "I think it may help. But I also think that it won't solve everything. It would be a good skill to learn though. To be able to compartmentalize things. But I think the best way to deal with what you have seen and done – all of you kids – is to be able to talk about it with each other. With someone you trust."

Hermione nodded to Regulus. It made sense to her.

"I'm sorry that I called you a murderer." Regulus went to interrupt her, but Hermione raised her hand to him to let her continue. "I knew what you had done when you were younger. When you were first with the Death Eaters, but I didn't really visualize it. I know you said to me you tracked people down and got information from them, I could read between the lines of what you were saying, I knew what you were doing. But … I didn't visualize you actually doing it in person. It was more of an abstract notion to me at the time. Seeing you do that to Bellatrix right in front of me threw that abstract idea in my face. It was real now. It caught me off guard. It made me uncomfortable. It scared me."

"I'm sorry." Regulus hung his head. Ashamed.

"I know." Hermione responded to him, squeezing his hand.

Hermione sat up in her bed. "I think I'd like to have some dinner now… I think I am okay – right now – for that."

...

* * *

...

Hermione and Regulus made their way back into the kitchen.

When they walked through the door, Hermione saw that everyone was waiting for them to return before they started their dinner.

"You didn't have to wait for us," Hermione said to the crowd.

"Of course we did. You are our hosts, we are your guests. It would be rude to start without you both." Narcissa exclaimed, confused.

"But –"

"It's tradition, Hermione. You'll have to get used to it." Theodore responded to her, grinning.

Hermione sat down in her chair as Regulus scooped her some stew from the pot in the middle of the table.

"You look better, Hermione." Luna smiled at her. "Less wrackspurts floating around your head."

"That's good to know, Luna. Thank you for telling me." Hermione responded, smiling at her friend.

Regulus looked confused. "What's a wrackspurt?"

"Oh! They are invisible creatures that can float into a person's ears. They make your brain go fuzzy." Luna happily replied as she started nibbling on her stew.

Regulus just sat there. Confused look on his face.

Harry chuckled quietly at Regulus' reaction. "You're feeling better?" He asked Hermione quietly as she tucked into her stew.

Hermione nodded at him and started on her dinner. It was time to heal.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The summer after Hermione's 6th year begins with her coming to the realization that she is not her parents' daughter. Follow Hermione as she comes to terms with who she is and where she comes from. The actions of good people are questioned, and people on the other side of the war are not as bad as they seem. Everyone has their secrets.

Regulus was lying on his back in his bed in Grimmauld Place. He couldn't sleep. His mind kept going over his daughter's panic attack earlier in the day. He wanted to be able to hide her away and protect her from the shit she was dealing with. He wanted to protect her from people like him. He knew he went too far with Bellatrix. He couldn't stop himself. He was so full of anger; it was blinding. Pure rage. He couldn't focus on anything else in that moment. His conscious left him for a moment. It felt like it had back during the First War, before he had gone into hiding. It felt so natural to him. It felt like home.

He was worried about being around Hermione. Could he really be a father to her? He was trying, but he knew that he really didn't have a great reference on how to be one. His father was a terrifying man. Not as noticeably unhinged as his mother. No. His father was cruel and cold and manipulative. Regulus supposed that he had a good reference on what not to do, if anything. He just didn't want to fuck her up. She was such a good person.

_Fuck_. He couldn't sleep. Maybe he should go down to the kitchen and make himself a hot cocoa.

Regulus snorted to himself. Was he twelve? What kind of adult made himself hot cocoa to get to sleep. Maybe he could find one of Sirius' firewhiskey bottles that he knew were in the house. Firewhiskey and hot cocoa sounded much more grown up.

Regulus was up and walking through the house and down the stairs to the kitchen before he knew it. He saw a light on in the kitchen. Who else had trouble sleeping? Probably everyone in this house.

Regulus walked through the door and spotted Harry sitting in one of the chairs at the table. He was looking down at the table. His hands clutching his mug of hot cocoa. Lost in thought.

"Couldn't sleep?" Regulus asked.

Harry jerked a bit in surprise. But caught himself before he sloshed the contents of his mug over the side.

Harry nodded. "Yeah," he said. "Have a lot on my mind."

Regulus nodded at him, even though Harry wasn't looking in his direction.

Regulus walked into the pantry and lit up the room to have a look around. It was definitely going to be a firewhiskey night.

He soon spotted an unopened bottle of Ogden's Finest in his father's well-known hiding spot. Thank you, Sirius for keeping this place well-stocked. Regulus smirked, grabbed the bottle and walked over to the stove to make himself some cocoa. Once he had his mug of cocoa he poured himself a healthy dose of firewhiskey. He walked over to the table and sat down next to Harry. He always found it easier to talk to someone if he wasn't looking directly at them. He wondered if Harry was the same.

Regulus raised the bottle to Harry, silently asking if he wanted some. Harry hesitated, but nodded. Regulus poured him a small measure. He wasn't sure if he had had some before and he didn't want to get him inebriated.

"You want to talk about what's on your mind, Harry?"

"Snape's memories," Harry quietly responded.

"Hmm," Regulus drank some cocoa. "You told Kingsley that he was good. That he was following Dumbledore's orders the whole way through," he prompted Harry.

Harry nodded at his mug and took a sip. "Dumbledore was dying already. He would have died anyway if Snape hadn't killed him. He was cursed. His hand…from the ring. The horcrux."

Regulus and Harry drank more of their cocoa.

"He told Snape that he had to kill him. He didn't want Draco to do it. Dumbledore knew that it was Draco's mission. To kill Dumbledore. He knew he'd been marked over the summer before sixth year. He didn't want Draco to have to kill him. He told Snape to do it instead. To help Draco as much as he could, but he himself kill him." Harry said.

Regulus' eyebrows were raised high on his forehead in surprise. He had thought Snape was a dirty, dark bastard through and through. Much like Sirius, he didn't like him.

"He didn't want Draco to have to kill anyone."

Regulus snorted. "It was a bit late for that." Harry looked at Regulus in surprise. "He was forced to kill a muggle man a day or two after he was marked. Just like everyone else who was marked before him."

"Really?" Harry asked.

"Yep," Regulus said with a pop. "The Ministry was pretty much already corrupted that summer, he didn't have him being underage to protect him. He had no choice in the matter. They would have killed his mother, then his father, and then him if he didn't do it."

Regulus took another sip of his cocoa. "For someone who is so incredibly intelligent, Dumbledore is really, very naïve and clueless on how the Death Eaters and the Dark Lord worked. How they operated." He looked to Harry. "I've interrupted you, sorry about that. Please carry on." He gestured at Harry to continue.

"It's alright," Harry said to him. "Anyway. Snape apparently was following orders from Dumbledore. He was working to bring You-Know-Who down from the inside. He got the sword of Gryffindor to us when we were on the run. He had given Bellatrix a fake one to put in her vault. He gave us the real one. He knew about the horcruxes. He knew somehow that the sword would destroy them." Harry took a sip of cocoa.

Regulus saw that he was hesitating, not wanting to go on. "What is it, Harry. What did Snape show you in his memories?"

Harry looked down at the table, self-conscious. "A lot of stuff. He was in love with my mother, apparently."

Regulus made a noise in his throat, in disagreement. "I wouldn't go that far, Harry. I don't think it was real love. Pure love. From what I remember from Snape when we were both in school together. When we were in the Death Eaters together, it was more of an obsession for him. Obsession isn't love. It certainly isn't a healthy love." Harry was looking at him, worriedly. "I was a year below him and my brother – and your dad – at Hogwarts. I remember the shit Snape would get into in the Slytherin common room. He was ridiculed, and humiliated, and hurt all the time because of his obsession with your mother. But, at the same time he would say some pretty awful things about her to the up-and-coming Death Eaters, Harry. He would join in with them eventually and say, in detail, about what he wanted to do to her. I can tell you with absolute honesty and certainty that it was not love."

Regulus watched Harry swallow, looking sick to himself. "He may have toned things down later on, with her. He may have thought differently about her later on, Harry. But when I knew him, he wanted her as a pet. As a medal, if you will. A trophy. I know that he was not the only one at Hogwarts who thought that way about your mother. They were dark times. She was very beautiful and strong magically. But she was muggleborn, Harry. It was dangerous for people who were muggleborn at that time, for that very reason." Regulus was looking at Harry, unsure what else to say about Severus. "Do you understand what I am getting at?"

Harry nodded. "Yeah…it makes sense with some of the memories I was shown. He wanted Dumbledore to save my mum, when he realized the prophecy was about me. But he didn't care about me or my dad. He didn't care about us, whether we lived or died. Just my mum."

Regulus waiting for Harry to continue. He wanted him to tell more about the memories. He knew that there was more to it than that. He still didn't know why Harry had walked into the Dark Lord's circle. Narcissa had told him he just showed up. No wand drawn. Like he had wanted to die. Like he was ready to die. He hesitated. "Harry…during the battle…why did you go to the Dark Lord? Why did you do that? What did Snape show you?"

Harry was looking at his drink. Running his fingers over the mug. Tracing the handle and rim. "He showed me a lot of stuff. It's making me think a bit. Some of the stuff he showed me is making me question Dumbledore and his actions even more than I already was." Harry snorted to himself and took a drink of his cocoa. He took a deep breath. "Dumbledore knew pretty early on that I was a horcrux. That my scar was a horcrux. He told Snape to teach me occlumency with the knowledge that it likely wouldn't work to block Voldemort out. That it likely wouldn't work because of our connection. I mean, we could see into each other's heads pretty regularly. How fucked up is that?" Harry threw out the question rhetorically. "He knew that the only way to get rid of the horcrux inside me was to let Voldemort kill me. He told Snape that I had to die at the exact right moment to finally get rid of Voldemort. So that he'd finally die. He told Snape that I would have to be sacrificed. That I was a 'pig for slaughter', as Snape put it. Snape showed me that Dumbledore hinted to him that he knew that I wasn't treated the best at the Dursley's…that's my aunt and uncle…who I was raised with after my parents…" Harry looked to Regulus, seeing if he understood who he was talking about.

Regulus nodded at him. He knew of the Dursley's from Sirius. He knew they were horrible people.

"Snape showed me that Dumbledore thought that it'd be best if I had a not great childhood so it'd be easier for me to sacrifice myself at the right time…for the _Greater Good_. He figured that if I hadn't had a close family, I would be able to sacrifice myself for the magical world. That it'd be easier for me that way. That I'd feel it was my responsibility to do that." Harry finished in a whisper.

"Harry…" Regulus didn't know what to say. "Harry…you have to know that Dumbledore was a manipulative person. But that he generally did it for good. I'll be the first to admit that he didn't care about the collateral damage along the way. But…perhaps he didn't know exactly how bad it was at your aunt and uncle’s place."

"I lived in a cupboard under the stairs until my first Hogwarts letter came. It came addressed to _Harry Potter, Cupboard Under the Stairs_." Harry blurted out. "I apparated when I was eight to get away from my cousin and his friends during recess at school…they were 'Harry hunting'. I apparated on top of the _fucking_ school when I was eight years old to get away from them. I had no idea what had happened. I had no idea that magic existed."

Regulus was shocked. That was some seriously impressive accidental magic at such a young age. He knew that accidental magic that serious, that complex, was only brought on by extreme stress for the child.

"I was locked in my cupboard with no company but the spiders for three days. With no food, for that incident." Harry was on a roll. "I turned my teachers hair blue once by accident. I grew my hair back over night after my aunt sheared it off, save for the front to hide my scar. I have burned my hands more often than I can count from cooking meals for my aunt and uncle and cousin. I started cooking when I was four. For some reason I never had any scars after about a day or so. My magic was healing me, I realize now. My supposed family got three full meals per day…I was allowed some bread and cheese once per day, if I was lucky. If no _abnormal_ stuff happened. I used to sneak out and steal food from the kitchen at night. My cupboard would unlock for me when it was really bad, when I was desperate. I didn't understand at the time that I was doing magic to get out of there." Harry paused. "How could no one notice that?"

Regulus shook his head. Dumbledore had to have known. There was no way he didn't. Not something that severe, that constant. That much accidental magic, that type of accidental magic, should have sent people checking on Harry. "Harry…I'm sorry you had to go through that. That you experienced that. I am so incredibly sorry."

"If I would have known about magic…if some other family took me in, even if it wasn't Sirius, do you think I could have done what I did? Do you think I could have sacrificed myself?"

Regulus was watching Harry. How had he sacrificed himself, if he was still alive? How did that work? "Harry, before I answer that…how are you still here if you sacrificed yourself. I don't mean to sound cold…but, you are still alive…how?"

Harry nodded at his mug, like he had been waiting for someone to ask him this question. "I went to Voldemort, expecting to die. I thought it was the only way to save everyone. He hit me with an _Avada_. I dropped to the ground. I did actually die." He looked to Regulus, watching his reaction. "I died. I was at a train station waiting for a train to move me on. I had wanted to see my parents again. And Sirius. Dumbledore showed up at the train station. We chatted. He mentioned that I had a choice. That the _Avada_ killed the horcrux. But if I wanted to I could move on, see my family, my mum and dad, and Sirius. Or I could go back and carry on to kill Voldemort for good. To make sure he was killed for good. I had a choice and I chose to remain living. I came to just before Narcissa placed her hand on my chest. Just before she asked me about Draco and whether he was still alive. She told him I was dead. She saved my life. Again."

Regulus nodded to him. That had to have been a difficult choice to make. "To answer your question. I am sure another family would have taken you in. Any family would have. But, I don't think you had to necessarily sacrifice yourself to get rid of the horcrux in your scar. I do think there may have been another way to get rid of it."

Harry was watching Regulus closely. "We couldn't figure it out before the battle happened. Me and Bill and Remus and Hermione. We were worried. We didn't know what to do. If you think about how you could destroy a horcrux in an object, there are a number of ways. Basilisk venom and fiendfyre. Apparently also the killing curse. I honestly think that there was probably some other bit of Dark Magic that could be used to destroy it. There is a lot of it. And most people don't really understand it very well. Dark Magic is very frowned upon. Rightfully so, most of the time." Harry was nodding to him, following along.

Regulus continued. "Growing up in a family known for their love of Dark Magic, I learned that it isn't necessarily bad. There is not just good and bad. White and black. Light and dark. Not saying I know everything about Dark Magic. Far from it. But what I do know of it, I know that it can be used for good. Think of how basilisk venom was used to destroy the horcruxes. A basilisk is an extremely dark, magical creature, its venom is deadly. Fiendfyre is another dark bit of magic and it would have worked as well. It would have been done for good if it had been used." Regulus was watching Harry. He could tell he was thinking about those facts.

"What is so troubling about Dark Magic, is that it is extremely difficult to control. It takes more out of you. It can deplete your abilities for a bit if you are not mature magically. It can deplete your abilities for a bit if you get carried away with it, even if you are an adult and have used dark magic before. Light magic generally doesn't do that. That is why Dark Magic is no longer taught at Hogwarts. It's too risky. Generally, when you are young, and not magically mature, you can't even do anything if you decide to throw a bit of Dark Magic around. Think of the unforgivables – one tiny branch of Dark Magic. If you were thirteen or even fourteen – hell, even fifteen or sixteen – chances are, if you cursed someone with an unforgivable it was highly likely not to work. If it was the cruciatus curse for example, chances are you maybe might have been able to send them a sting, or a muscle twitch. Maybe a bit of a burn. It takes too much skill and power to be able to do it, and you wouldn't have been able to until you were mature, and had superb control of your magic."

Harry nodded, he was thinking of a memory, Regulus could tell. "Bellatrix told me that righteousness wouldn't work. That I had to really mean it."

Regulus looked at Harry, shocked. _How would he know that? When?_

"I chased after her through the Ministry after she sent Sirius through the veil at the end of my fifth year. I sent a _crucio_ after her, but it just knocked her on her arse. It caught her off guard, I think." Harry answered his unspoken question.

"It did." Regulus agreed. "Even just knocking her on her arse showed Bellatrix how strong you were magically. You caused her muscles to seize up for that to happen to her."

"If Draco killed someone before his sixth year how did he do it? You said it be unlikely that one would be able to cause harm."

"He has always had superb control over his magic. He has had to. His father tested him regularly growing up, from what I know of his life. From what Narcissa has said to me. You have to remember that when the Dark Lord came back, he was staying at Malfoy Manor. He had been staying at Malfoy Manor for over a year before Draco was forced to get the mark. Before he was forced to kill someone. You'd better believe he was tested during that time. He would have learned how to hone his magic quickly. He would have had to." Regulus said to Harry. Trying to get him to understand what others were going through during that time.

"That makes sense," Harry said to his mug as he finished up his hot cocoa. He smirked. "I met Draco before Hogwarts. Did you know that?" Regulus shook his head. "I met him at Madam Malkin's getting robes. Hagrid had just saved me from the Dursley's. They were running with me to get away from all the owls dropping off my Hogwarts letters." Harry was chuckling to himself. "I think there had to have been ten thousand of them coming through every nook and cranny in the house. The fireplace, letter box. Milk cart. Everywhere. They wouldn't let me read them. So they packed up the car and ran."

Harry snorted. "Anyway, Hagrid brought me to Diagon Alley. Draco was in Madam Malkin's getting robes. I was waiting to get my robes and we started talking. Hagrid appeared outside the store. Draco made fun of him. Said his was a servant. A half-breed. He reminded me of my cousin. I didn't want to be around him. I didn't want to be around another bully. I stuck up for Hagrid. I mean...he saved my life, I'm sure of it. Draco mentioned something about the different houses at Hogwarts. I had no idea what he was talking about. He was talking about being in Slytherin, how it was the best house. He wanted to know what house I thought I'd be in. I had no idea. I didn't want to be around him. I really didn't. Eventually he left. Eventually I met Ron Weasley on the train to school. He had mentioned that Slytherin was the bad house. That it was where all of the bad people went. I didn't want to go there. I didn't want to be a bad person. My aunt and uncle had been calling me freak for as long as I could remember. I just wanted to fit in."

Harry was chuckling. Shoulders shaking. "The sorting hat wanted to put me in Slytherin. Did you know that?" Harry asked Regulus, who was smiling at him. "Said I had a 'thirst to prove myself'. That it was all in my head. That I'd do well in Slytherin. I was freaking out. I begged the hat to put me anywhere else. Anywhere but Slytherin. I literally begged a hat. I said Gryffindor would be good. That I would like to be put into Gryffindor. I was terrified. Eventually it agreed with me and put me in Gryffindor." Harry was shaking his head at the memory.

"I had to beg the hat to put me in Slytherin," Regulus said to Harry, grinning. "I dealt with the fallout from Sirius being sorted into Gryffindor the year before. I was told that under no circumstances would I be in any house but Slytherin. That Blacks were in Slytherin. _Always_. I was stuck in a hat stall as we argued about which house I would be put into. I was able to convince it to put me in Slytherin. I said it was safer for me to be there than anywhere else," Regulus grinned at the memory. "When I removed the hat to walk over to the Slytherin table, I looked over at Sirius. He was grinning at me. Proud. He knew what I was doing. He understood why I did what I did."

Regulus and Harry continued to chat into the night. Giving each other tidbits of their childhood. Their experiences. Their attempt to fit into the roles made for them. It was their attempt to heal from the expectations placed on them.

"You know how Kingsley has offered a bunch of us roles in the aurors, positions with the aurors, without our NEWTS?" Harry asked Regulus. Regulus nodded to him he had heard Kingsley make the offer. "I am not sure I want to take it. I know that it's what people expect me to do…but, I don't know anymore. I know Ron probably will. Maybe a few others. But I honestly just want to be normal for a change. I think I just may go back to school when it re-opens for September."

Regulus nodded. It was a good idea. "You could still apply to be an auror after you finish your schooling, if you decide you want to." Harry nodded. "I'm sure Hermione will go back to finish her schooling. You wouldn't be the only one to do so, that's for sure." Harry nodded.

Regulus stood up and cleaned the table, placing their mugs in the sink and returning the bottle of firewhiskey into its well-known hiding spot in the pantry. "You should get some sleep, Harry. You need your rest."

They both left the kitchen and headed up the stairs to their respective rooms. As they were walking further up the stairs they both heard a bone chilling scream come from within one of the bedrooms. It sounded like Hermione.

They looked at each other in shock. And took off toward her room.


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The summer after Hermione's 6th year begins with her coming to the realization that she is not her parents' daughter. Follow Hermione as she comes to terms with who she is and where she comes from. The actions of good people are questioned, and people on the other side of the war are not as bad as they seem. Everyone has their secrets.

By the time Regulus and Harry reached the floor with Hermione's room the entire house had woken up. Bedroom doors were wide open, heads were poking out of the numerous rooms along the hallway. Everyone was wide awake, in the clothing they had been wearing during the day, with wands drawn. Alert. Regulus slid on his socks on the floor just before Hermione's room, grabbing the door frame so he wouldn't slide past. He entered the room and spotted Theodore Nott trying to wake Hermione up.

"Wake up, Hermione!" Theodore was yelling at the thrashing girl. Holding her shoulders and arms so she wouldn't harm herself. "It's just a dream…it's just a nightmare."

Regulus was in shock as he watched Hermione's body arch like she was under the cruciatus curse. "Bellatrix," he said to the room. "She's having a night terror about Bellatrix." Regulus stepped further into the room, allowing Harry to enter behind him, and reached for Hermione's hand.

"Bellatrix is dead, Hermione. She can't hurt you anymore. Please…please wake up." Regulus held her hand, running his fingers over her hand, attempting to bring her comfort. Attempting to wake her up.

"Did you hear that? The psychotic bitch is dead. She can't hurt you anymore," Theodore was practically yelling at the terrified girl.

"Hermione. Please wake up. It's not real. Not anymore. Please wake up. Listen to my voice and wake up. I know you can do it." Harry was calling out to her from within the room. He was standing in the centre of the room, unable to reach to Hermione due to Regulus and Theodore surrounding her.

Hermione gasped. Her eyes sprung open as she shot up into a seated position on the bed.

"It's okay, Hermione. It's okay. You're safe now. It's over and you are safe." Regulus said to her. He was watching as she was trying to take in her surroundings. Gasping for air. Trying to breathe. Hermione was nodding to herself. Trying to comprehend what had happened. Realizing that what she had just experienced wasn't real. Regulus watched as her bottom lip started quivering and her face scrunched up.

She grabbed the closest thing to her, Theodore Nott, and tried not to cry.

Regulus watched Theodore stiffen, but he tried to comfort her as best he could. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and held her hand as she clutched his shirt taking slow, deep breaths.

"I'm sorry for waking everyone up," Hermione muttered into Theodore's shirt. She was looking in the direction of the door, looking at her housemates standing just outside in the hallway peering in.

"Hermione, it's okay. I am pretty sure not many of us were asleep. I definitely wasn't." Harry said to her from across the room. Regulus looked at him, he had sat down on the second bed in the room. Regulus turned back to facing Hermione. He saw her stiffen, realizing that she wasn't clutching Harry.

Regulus watched her scrunch her eyes closed and slowly pull away from the body she was hanging on to. Regulus watched as she opened her eyes again and looked up at Theodore's face.

"I am so sorry, Theo," Hermione whispered, her face turning pink. "I didn't realize it was you." Hermione hid her cheeks behind her hands.

Theodore was chuckling, also a little pink in the face. "It's okay, Hermione. I really didn't mind." Regulus watched him pause, thinking. "Everyone has bad dreams. You're not the first. Okay?" Theodore removed his arm from around her shoulders and started to stand up off of her bed.

Regulus caught his eye and Theodore quickly looked away, refusing to look at Regulus. He straightened his shirt. Trying to find something to do with his hands and left the room, seeing that Hermione's father and best friend were there for her. Regulus bit his bottom lip to hide his grin.

"Did you want to talk about it, Hermione?" Regulus asked, putting what he just realized in a box in his head for another time.

Hermione shook her head. "I forgot to clear my head before I went to bed. It's my fault it happened." She shook her head. "Stupid Bellatrix," she muttered more to herself than the others in the room.

"Did you want one of us to walk you through it?" Harry asked her. "Snape made me do that every day before bed in fifth year. It didn't work for me, with my nightmares, mind you. But that was for another reason entirely. I do know how to do it though, if you wanted." Harry was rambling. He wanted to help his best friend, Regulus realized.

Regulus stood up off the bed.

He smiled down at his daughter. "I'll let Harry walk you through it. Let me know if you need anything, alright?" He squeezed Hermione's shoulder. He knew he had to let her friend help her. They had been through a lot together. He slowly walked out of the room, looking back as he left.

Harry was wandering over to Hermione's bed. Softly chatting with her.

"Does that happen to Hermione often, Regulus?" Narcissa asked him as he made his way by her bedroom on the way to his.

"Almost every night since the Manor." Regulus stopped to look at his cousin and stepped into her room to talk to her. "I didn't know about it until the morning of the Battle. She had been silencing her room to not disturb me most nights apparently."

"Have you suggested occlumency to her?" Narcissa asked him, curious about his response.

"Of course." Regulus responded. "She understands that Blacks have experience with the practice. She knows why, too." Regulus was watching Narcissa, wondering what she was getting at.

"Hermione knows of my past. If that's what you're asking. What you're referring to." Regulus took a stab in the dark at his cousin's curiosity. "She knows what I've done. She knows that I've had to use my occlumency to keep my sanity, Cissa." Regulus watched as his cousin raised a brow in surprise. That was her only tell.

"She is well aware that I've killed people in the past. That I've hunted people down and slowly killed them to gain information." Regulus snorted to himself. "She called me a murderer this morning, after she ran from the table. She's not stupid." Narcissa's second brow joined her first high on her forehead. "She is right, Cissa. Nothing she said was false."

"That isn't a way one should talk to their parents. It's disrespectful." Narcissa argued.

"It's true though," said Regulus, he paused. "We will go over some of the steps with occlumency over the next few days. She already knows the theory of it." Narcissa nodded in agreement. "But…I don't think it is the cure for her nightmares. Her night terrors. Occlumency is more of a bandage to the issues she's having. It's just going to take time to heal…for them all. For us all."

Narcissa was nodding to him in agreement. Regulus watched as she opened her mouth to say something. She hesitated a moment, watching Regulus. "You seem quite close with her, Regulus. You've told her about your past. What else have you told her? Have you spoken to her about what she will be facing because she is a Black? About what will be expected of her because she is a Black? She is the last true Black heir. That is a lot of pressure for someone who has been raised as a muggleborn."

"It's a lot of pressure for anyone, Cissa. I went through it and I was raised very much the pureblood. Her upbringing isn't going to affect her. She's smart, she'll pick it up quickly." Regulus stated to her, wondering what Narcissa was getting at.

"Perhaps, my son Draco could help her." Narcissa offered.

Regulus chuckled. "Not happening." He was smirking at his cousin. "He's the Malfoy heir, not the Black one, Narcissa. You know that."

"Yes, but –"

"No." Regulus put a stop to her argument. He was shaking his head at her. "I will show her the ropes. I will show her what will be expected of her. I will show her what is important, and tell her what isn't."

"All of it is important, Regulus." Narcissa tried arguing again.

Regulus snorted at her. "No it isn't. Most of it is bullshit." Narcissa regained her surprised expression from before. "She just needs to know how to play the political game. She needs to understand the influence she will have, and how to use it. She needs to understand how some people will view her. She needs to understand how to speak to certain families, and how to expect to be spoken to by certain families. She is already an exceptional witch. Her magical skill is there already."

"But what about marriage? Are you going to let her remain single? There is power and influence in marriage that she needs to know and understand." Narcissa whispered furiously to Regulus.

"I am not setting up a betrothal with anyone. Don't even go there." Regulus rolled his eyes at the thought of the archaic practice that was still prevalent in many pureblood families.

"But she needs to have an acceptable marriage. One that is fit for the Black family." Narcissa stated, confused as to why Regulus was against the idea.

Regulus just looked at Narcissa in disbelief. "Who do you think Hermione's mother is, Cissa?"

"I just assumed that it was the girl you were betrothed to when you were a child. The pureblood girl from France. She disappeared around the time you did. I assumed something had happened to her. I thought maybe you sent her away, or she left you..." Narcissa stopped, looking at Regulus, realizing she was way off in her assumption.

Regulus was chuckling to himself. "I only met Genevieve once, at our betrothal ceremony the summer before my fifth year, after my brother ran away. I can assure you, neither of us wanted it. I am pretty sure she ran away and married someone else." Regulus was watching Narcissa. "I met Hermione's mother in my final year at Hogwarts; her parents were muggleborn healers, Cissa." He paused. "Hermione is technically a half-blood."

Narcissa just looked at him. Trying to comprehend what he was telling her. "But…but you're a Black. Why did you do that? Why would you do that?" She blurted out.

"Is that going to be a problem for you?" Regulus asked her. "I thought we fought a war, and won by-the-way, to get rid of the bullshit."

Narcissa swallowed, trying to gather her thoughts. "It's fine. It will take some getting used to. But, I swear it is fine, Regulus."

"You've been surrounded by those who strongly believed that purebloods were best, and everyone else was filth." Regulus stated to her. "I know it will take time for you. You're like my big sister. I respect you, I respect what you've been through. How long you've been living that life. It took me time, too. To unlearn all that I had known previously. But I was fortunate enough to not be around that day-in and day-out once you hid me." Narcissa was nodding to him, she knew he was giving her an ultimatum, giving her a choice.

"Just make sure your son, Draco, doesn't have a problem with it either. I know he's said some cruel things to Hermione when he believed her to be a muggleborn witch. He doesn't get to do that ever again. Do you understand what I'm getting at, Narcissa?" Regulus looked at her, using her full name to get his point across. "I am the Head of the Black Family and I control the tapestry … among many other things. You do understand what that means, correct?" He asked her.

Narcissa gave Regulus a jerky nod of her head. "Of course. Understood."

Regulus gave her a cool smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Good." He turned and left her bedroom and headed towards his own room for some much needed rest. He was exhausted.

...

* * *

...

A week had passed since Hermione had her nightmare. Since then she had been clearing her mind with Harry every night before she went to bed. She could feel it doing her some good. She felt more at peace and relaxed as a result. She knew, however, that she was nowhere near healed from everything she had experienced during the War. None of them were.

Earlier in the day they had all gone to Percy Weasley's funeral. The family was devastated. Broken. From what Hermione had learned about Percy's death, she realized that no one knew where Percy had come from. He had just appeared and stepped in the way of a curse aimed at his little sister.

It had cost him his life.

No one knew if he had come with Order members as they evacuated their posts at the ministry to get to Hogwarts to fight in the Battle. No one in the Order had seen him come in. He certainly hadn't arrived at the castle via portkey like the rest of the Order. Had he come with someone else? Non-Order members? Death Eaters? No one had any idea. Those unanswerable questions, Hermione realized, were what was most difficult for the Weasley family.

Hermione herself liked to think that his last heroic action, saving his sister's life, was Percy's way of apologizing to his family. To her, it didn't matter who he had come into the castle with. His final action spoke of someone who was against the Death Eaters and Lord Voldemort. It spoke of someone who was with his family.

Harry had decided to spend some time with the Weasley's at The Burrow after the funeral had ended. They had insisted he come and stay as long as he had wanted to. They thought of him as a son, a brother. Hermione knew that Harry craved the feeling of having a family. She knew that the Weasley's were the closest thing to any sort of family that he would be able to have. She was standing next to Regulus when Harry mentioned it to them both. Regulus had told Harry that he was more than welcome to come by anytime he wanted to. That Grimmauld Place was very much his home, too. Harry had said he would, that he would probably come by in a few days. He had hugged Hermione and then left with the Weasley family.

Luna had decided to spend the rest of the day at St. Mungo's. Her father was a patient there after having been brutally tortured and placed in Azkaban as a result of Harry, Ron and Hermione escaping when he called the Death Eaters to his home to trade Harry for his daughter. Luna had told Hermione that he was having a difficult time. She had said that while dementors were no longer guarding the prison, horrible memories were still prevalent in those who had been locked up there. He was remembering Luna's mother who had passed when Luna was just nine years old. He was remembering his daughter being held prisoner in the Malfoy's dungeon. He would need time to heal.

Narcissa had been requested to come to the ministry to give her statement of the events that had transpired during the War. They had wanted to know her role in everything. Kingsley, the new interim Minister, had wanted to know her side of the story before he had the trio come and give their version of the events that had taken place. Hermione knew that she, Harry and Ron were expected at the ministry the following week. The ministry, and the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, needed to build their cases. They needed to start the trials.

Draco and Theodore were in the kitchen talking about quidditch. Hermione had quickly removed herself from that conversation and hid in the library. Her go-to; her safe place. No one tended to bother her here. Although, she had noticed that Theodore had taken to spending time reading in here with Hermione sometimes. Although they rarely spoke to each other, they had kept each other company in the vast room. Hermione still had a difficult time looking at Theodore after she had realized she had been clinging onto him rather than Harry as she came to from her nightmare. She knew that it was silly of her, but for some reason that Hermione really didn't understand, she was embarrassed. She and Theodore had worked together as partners in their numerous classes together since their third year. They had both started taking Arithmacy and Ancient Runes together; and during Hermione's sixth year they had been assigned partners by Slughorn in their Potions class. Both of them had always worked well together, they were both very intelligent and could keep up with each other's train of thought during their class projects. He had always treated her with respect, even though during that time everyone – including herself – had thought she was a muggleborn witch.

Theodore was immensely different from Draco Malfoy in that regard. Hermione didn't know how to handle living with Draco Malfoy. He hadn't said anything insulting to her. He actually had barely said anything to her at all, now that Hermione really thought about it. It was like he was afraid of her. Avoiding her for some reason.

A knock on the library doorway removed Hermione from her thoughts. She looked up from her book – that she hadn't actually been reading – and spotted Regulus standing in the doorway watching her. He smiled at her.

"I want to show you something," he said to her. "Is that alright?"

Hermione placed her book on the table next to the old chaise lounge she was sitting in. "Of course," she replied as she stood up. "Lead the way."

Hermione followed Regulus into the drawing room. He walked to the dead centre of the room and turned partway around to face the Black Family tapestry. Hermione followed suit. She looked at the top of the ancient tapestry spotting the distinct identifying crest of the Most Noble and Ancient House of Black. The ancient crest had a skull situated at the top of it, followed by a fist grasping a wand – emphasizing the importance of keeping the family pureblood. The bottom of the crest had the Black family motto, _Toujours Pur_. Hermione slowly read through the names located on the vast family tree starting with the oldest members of the family – dating back to the Middle Ages – and worked her way down the tree. Noticing as the tree began to get more and more thinned out. Less offspring, less viable births – Hermione could see the effects of the prevalent inbreeding that had plagued the family. She could see the criss-crossing of familial lines, cousins marrying cousins. Blacks marrying Blacks. She slowly worked her way down the tree, aware that Regulus was watching her make her way down the tapestry. She finally spotted Regulus' name near the bottom. He had a branch connecting him to Madeleine Erickson. Together they had a branch identifying Hermione as their daughter.

Hermione gasped and covered her mouth with both of her hands. _Hermione Lyra Black (Born September 19, 1979)_ was located at the very bottom of the tree. At the very bottom of the tapestry. Hermione turned to look at Regulus, he was watching her reaction, a small smile playing on his lips. She quickly stepped over to her father and pulled him into a hug. "Thank you" she murmured into his chest. She felt him grasp her and pull her closer to himself.

"Is that alright?" He asked her. "You're still okay with that, right?" he pulled back from her, watching her reaction.

Hermione was nodding up at him, smiling. "Yes! It's perfect…thank you so much."

Hermione tucked her hair behind her ear. "Hermione Lyra Black…Lyra is a constellation, right?"

Regulus nodded at her. "It's sometimes visualized as an eagle. I thought it was a fitting name for you. Tying you in with your mother and her parents. All Ravenclaws."

Hermione was smiling, she had turned back to look at the tapestry and studied her name on it. "I was almost sorted into Ravenclaw, did you know that?"

Regulus laughed. "No, but it doesn't surprise me at all." Regulus walked closer to Hermione and placed his arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer to him. "We will have to go to the ministry and Gringotts to set up some other things for you. You need access to the Black Family Vault among other things. We need to go to the ministry to make it all official."

Hermione was nodding her head in agreement. "What do you mean by the 'Black Family Vault'…are there other types of vaults?"

Regulus was watching her. "Yes…there are trust vaults, which have only money in them – which you will get as well – the family vaults have both money, most of the time, as well as important artifacts in the family. You saw that in the Lestrange vault. There were tables and chairs, goblets, gold, gowns, everything in there. Basically everything that is important to a family. Everything that has historical significance to that family tends to be in the family vault." He paused, taking in her question. "Why do you ask?"

Hermione was frowning. "When we were on the run. When Ron had left us. Me and Harry were talking…about anything and everything really. We were trying to distract each other from the hunger we were feeling; the effects from the horcrux we were wearing." She swallowed at the memory. "But anyway, he had brought up his learning of him being a wizard. He told me that Hagrid had brought him to Diagon Alley – which I thought was strange. I mean, Hagrid is a half-giant. Not that there is anything wrong with that!" She quickly said to Regulus. "I just thought it was strange that they got someone who was so very different from muggles to make contact with him. I mean…McGonagall met my parents, the Grangers I mean. She was in muggle clothes and everything." She paused, trying to gather her thoughts. "Anyway, I went off topic a bit. Harry mentioned that Hagrid had his key to his vault. Apparently Dumbledore had given it to Hagrid to give Harry access to it. Harry mentioned that he had never seen so much gold in his life. That he didn't know what to do with it all. He didn't realize that he had any money. He was always wearing second-hand stuff from his cousin." She paused again. "Harry only had money in the vault he said. Just money. Just galleons and sickles and knuts. Nothing else." She looked to Regulus. "Shouldn't he have had family heirlooms in there, too?"

Regulus was nodding. "That is his trust vault. Sirius mentioned to me that James and Lily had given him a key in case anything happened to them. Sirius needed a key to get access to it. It was for Harry, but if Sirius had a key he would be allowed to take money out of it for Harry, for when he was raising Harry. Sirius wasn't a Potter, so there was no other way. Family vaults tend to open without a key. You need a bit of blood the first time you gain access to it. After that the goblins let you in themselves. We saw that with the Lestrange vault." Regulus paused in his explanation. "The Potter family is a decently old wizarding family – I don't think it's as old as the Black family, mind you. I mean they aren't in the Pureblood Directory, they apparently didn't get along with whoever wrote it so they are a bit difficult to trace. But they would have a family vault. There will be a Potter Family Vault in Gringotts, I'm sure of it."

"They're descendants of the Peverell's." Hermione informed Regulus, smirking at him. Regulus blanched at her – his eyes were huge. "Harry is a descendant of the Peverell family…you know one of the first pureblood families to die out in the male line. That's how he had the invisibility cloak, one of the deathly hallows. That cloak has been in his family since that Peverell brother got it from death himself, if you believe in those fairy tales. He told me a few days ago during one of our mind clearing exercises. The Gaunts were another descendant of the Peverells – Tom Riddle, Voldemort – he's from the Gaunt family, in case you were interested." Hermione smiled at him. Regulus was watching her, unable to speak. Hermione frowned at herself. "I probably shouldn't have said anything about Harry's family. That was really not my place to say." She looked down at the floor, ashamed at herself for spilling the Potter family secret.

Regulus placed his hand on top of hers. She peered back up at him. "I won't say anything. I understand the need for secrets in families. The Black family is renowned for it. I won't say a word to anyone. I respect that." Hermione nodded at him. "We will go to Gringotts when Harry comes back here in a few days. How does that sound? We can take him along. Get him access to his family vault. I know it was Sirius that was supposed to do that, but…" Regulus drifted off, not finishing his sentence. Hermione knew what he hadn't said. Sirius was Harry's godfather, it was his responsibility, but he had never gotten the chance. He was dead.

...

* * *

...

That Friday morning Harry had returned to Grimmauld Place. He had a new wand with him, ebony with a dragon heartstring core. Eleven inches long. Hermione watched as Harry took out the wand he had been using previously, Draco's wand, and handed it back to its proper owner.

Draco's eyes closed as his fingers wrapped around his wand. "Thank you," he muttered to Harry.

Harry nodded to him. "It's yours. Thanks for allowing me to borrow it for as long as I have." Draco smirked. "I mean, not like you really had a choice, I know." Harry chuckled. "That wand defeated Voldemort, you know. Don't forget that." Draco nodded at Harry. He understood what he was saying.

"Dumbledore's wand…the Elder Wand that Voldemort stole from his burial, is back with Dumbledore. That's okay with you, right?" Harry asked him. They all knew that Draco was technically the owner of the Elder Wand, the Death Stick.

Draco chuckled. "I never want anything to do with that wand, Potter. It causes far too much trouble than it's worth in my humble opinion." He left the room to talk to his mother in another part of the house.

Hermione smiled to herself as she and Regulus watched the exchange between the two. She made eye contact with Regulus and took a breath. "Harry…Regulus and I were going to be heading to Gringotts later today. Did you want to come with us?"

Harry looked at her, confused. "I just took some gold out, Hermione. I should be okay for a while at least."

Hermione smiled at him. Trying to implore to him that this was important and that it wasn't really an offer. "Regulus is going to give me access to the Black Family vault. As well as set up a trust vault for me with gold. All the paperwork is finished. I am officially a Black now. Hermione Lyra Black." She paused, watching Harry's reaction. He looked pleased at her, but still confused. "Maybe you can check out your family vault while we are there…" she left the rest hanging. _The Potter Family Vault, Harry. It's yours._ "There might be some interesting finds in there for you to see."

Harry looked between Regulus and Hermione. Slowly realizing what they weren't saying. He nodded. "Okay," he said softly to them.

Hermione, Regulus and Harry left Grimmauld Place through the front door and stepped out onto the front steps. Regulus took a look around. Spotting no one watching them, her grabbed Hermione and Harry and disapparated with a crack.

Moments later the trio reappeared in front of Gringotts Bank. Barely breaking stride, Regulus began his ascent up the marble steps. Hermione and Harry following closely behind him. Regulus held open the door for the both of them, and gestured at Harry to head in before him.

The trio walked over to an open counter and waited for the goblin to acknowledge them.

"Yes, how may we be of service?" he asked them.

"Hello," Regulus bowed his head a bit at the goblin. "We have quite a few things to do here today. My daughter needs to have her blood taken to allow her access into the Black Family vault. Also, I wish to set her up with a trust vault." The goblin nodded at Regulus. "Finally, Mr. Potter here also needs his blood taken to gain access to his family vault."

The goblin looked closer at Harry. "Of course. Did you want these to be separate from each other, or can we do it all at once, together?" He hoped down from his spot behind the desk and walked with them across the lobby toward the way to the vaults.

"Together is fine." Regulus said. Hermione saw the goblin give a nod acknowledging his affirmation to Regulus' statement.

They followed the goblin into a cart waiting for them. "Can we do the Potter Family vault first?" Hermione requested. She wanted Harry's vault dealt with first. He was the most important, right now.

"Yes, Heir Black. We can do that," The goblin responded as he released the brake and the cart took off. Hermione hated this part. She wanted to throw up. She hung on tightly as the cart careened around corners, travelling deeper and deeper into the bank's vaults. Eventually, the cart slowed to a stop in front of a vault with a very old door. Hermione took a look around as they all gathered around the door. All of the doors looked to be this old. Hermione realized that they were in a section of the bank that was strictly the Family vaults. Of course, that would make sense.

The goblin asked Harry to hold out his hand and then pierced his palm with a dagger hidden in his belt. He then motioned for Harry to place his hand on the vault door. As he did so the door could be heard slowly unlocking. It opened with a hiss.

"The Potter Family vault, Heir Potter, Head of the Most Noble and Ancient House of Potter," the goblin said as he pulled the door open for Harry to enter.

Hermione slowly walked in behind Harry. The vault was full of old furniture. Hermione spotted a beautiful dining room set with eight chairs and a large mahogany table. Matching armoires were also in the vault. Harry opened one. Inside were numerous wizarding robes; ancient but in fantastic condition. Hermione saw Regulus slowly enter the vault taking a look around. Hermione caught his eye and he smiled softly at her. This was a good thing for Harry to know about.

Hermione could see Harry walking over to a rolled up tapestry leaning against the wall of the vault in a little cubby. She stepped closer to him, watching as he reached his hand out to it, running his fingers over the ancient threading. "Why is this hidden away in a vault?" Harry asked the room. "The Black one is hanging in the house for everyone to see. Why is the Potter one in here?"

Regulus cleared his throat. "It may be just for safe keeping. Most families don't have their family tree hanging for everyone to see. Some do, absolutely. But most people – most families – don't care as much as say the Black family did." Harry nodded at his answer.

Hermione watched as he frowned to himself. He carefully pulled the tapestry back from the wall. There was a second tapestry hidden behind it. "Two?" Harry looked to Regulus and Hermione.

Regulus' eyes grew wide. "One is probably the Peverell Family tapestry, the other the Potter Family tapestry." Harry closed his eyes in understanding. "Hermione mentioned to me about your cloak, your invisibility cloak. I hadn't realized it was that cloak when we used it in the Battle." Harry grinned at him and nodded.

Harry hesitated, but carefully placed the tapestries back in place against the wall. "I have nowhere for them right now. Maybe later," he said to himself. He continued to walk around the vault, taking in everything that was there.

Hermione too was looking around. There was so much history in here, she realized. Old books on bookcases, which she knew would hold a wealth of information. Numerous ancient trunks appeared to be full of other items for Harry to go through one day, when he was ready. Hermione heard Harry gasp.

She turned to look at him, Regulus had too. Harry was standing in front of a trunk that appeared to be relatively new compared to the rest that were in the vault. She quickly stepped over closer to Harry, attempting to see what had gotten his attention. She gasped as well. On top of the trunk were the words, _For Harry James Potter, Love Mum and Dad_. Harry slowly reached his hand out and lifted the lid of the trunk. Inside were more books, Hermione could see. She also spotted a pensieve in the trunk. And numerous vials with labels on them full of a silver liquid. _Memories_.

Harry's hands were shaking as he picked up a vial. He read the label on it. _July 31st 1981 First Birthday_. Hermione watched as Harry wiped his cheeks, and returned the vial to the trunk. Hermione peeked inside at the vials. There were hundreds of them. Dated both before and after Harry had been born. His parents had left him their memories for him to view when he got the chance. In case anything should happen to them.

"Oh Harry," she whispered to him. She felt a tear make its way down her cheek and quickly brushed it away. She reached out and brought him in for a hug.

"Thank you," Harry muttered into her shoulder. He looked over at Regulus, "both of you…thank you."


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The summer after Hermione's 6th year begins with her coming to the realization that she is not her parents' daughter. Follow Hermione as she comes to terms with who she is and where she comes from. The actions of good people are questioned, and people on the other side of the war are not as bad as they seem. Everyone has their secrets.

Harry had decided to grab a couple of books that Regulus recommended from the Potter Family vault. He had told both Regulus and Hermione that he wasn't sure he was ready to watch his parents memories for him, at least not yet. One of the books was about the Potter Family history, a common type of book found in most Pureblood families according to Regulus. Another of the books that Regulus recommended to Harry was a book about Heir and Head of House duties and etiquette.

"A lot of it will be out of date in terms of etiquette," Regulus told both Harry and Hermione. "But, it's good to read anyway, just so you know what to expect as you get older; as you finish school. That sort of thing." He looked to both of the teenagers. "You both are going to have some really high expectations placed on you. Both because of your family name, and because of what you've accomplished already with defeating Voldemort." Harry and Hermione nodded in agreement. "You'll want to know what to expect so that'll you'll both be able work with it. The Wizengamot will treat you differently now because of what you've done and who you are. Other Wizarding families will do the same." Regulus nodded toward the book in Harry's hands. "That book will help you prepare for that; it will inform you of what you can expect from different people."

"That makes sense," Hermione said to the room, thinking of the different ways in which she had been treated when everyone assumed she had been a Muggleborn. Of course being a Black would result in different behaviour from people.

"I can explain more to both of you if you want later on. Right now we should head to the Black Family vault," Regulus said to the pair as he made his way out of the vault.  
The trio, and goblin, made a short trip in the cart to the Black Family vault. Hermione listened as the goblin informed her as to what he would be doing to give her access to the vault. She held out her hand and the goblin pierced it with his dagger; she stepped forward toward the door of the family vault, and placed her hand on it. Hermione heard grinding and clanking within the door as it slowly began to unlock. She heard a guttural groan come from within the ancient door as the final lock released and the door popped open slightly.

"The Black Family vault. Heir Black of the Most Noble and Ancient House of Black," the goblin called to the small group as he pulled the door completely open for Hermione.

Hermione hesitated before she took a step into the vault, it was a lot to stomach.

"Before we all go in there," Regulus began and Hermione turned around to listen. "I'm not entirely sure what is safe for everyone and what isn't. I know I'll be okay, and Hermione should be as well, I think, because she is a Black and has gotten access to the vault. But Harry, I'm not sure how the things in there will react to a non-Black person. Make sure not to touch anything, alright?" Hermione watched as he looked to Harry, who nodded and stuck his one free hand in his pocket while his other continued to hold his books.

"Kind of like when we cleaned out Grimmauld Place before fifth year, you mean?" He asked Regulus.

"Exactly like that, yes." Regulus responded.

The trio stepped into the ancient vault and took a look around, taking in their surroundings. Hermione saw piles and piles of gold in the middle of the vault. There were bookshelves lining the sides of the vault with numerous books piled on them in every which way. There were armoires near the back of the vault, in which Hermione assumed would be gowns and robes.

Hermione took a step towards the bookshelves; Harry followed her snickering. "Oh shush, Harry!" Hermione responded to him, knowing exactly what he was he was snickering about. She turned her head to read some of the titles; _The Darkest Art_ was spotted quickly, as was _Dark Magic: Experiments and Experiences_. Hermione shivered thinking of all the ways in which dark magic could have been used in experiments. _Muggles and Muggleborns_ , she thought to herself. That's who it was used on without a doubt. She continued her visual inspection of the countless books, slowly walking through the vault, Harry following close behind her. Hermione noted that not all of the books were about Dark Magic, although all appeared to be ancient.

Hermione felt Regulus step up behind her. "These books are all First Editions," he muttered into her ear.

Hermione gasped and spun around. "All of them?"

Regulus was grinning at her reaction. "All of them." He confirmed to her. "That's why they are here in the vault."

"Should I pick some up like Harry has?" Hermione asked her father.

"I'm looking for a specific one for you. _The Black Family History_ , but I am not sure if it is here or at Grimmauld Place." Regulus paused. "I asked Sirius to not throw it out if he found it when you guys were cleaning out the place. I know he threw out a bunch of books - and rightfully so - they were cursed. But he told me he didn't see that book there. So...hopefully it's here somewhere."

"Did Sirius know about Hermione?" Harry asked Regulus.

"He knew I had a daughter. I told him pretty early on. He wanted to know why I left the Death Eaters. Why I left the Dark Lord." Regulus hesitated for a bit, looking at Harry. "I told him Hermione was my daughter a few days before the Department of Mysteries. I told him over the two-way mirror that he had. He was having a shitty day and I was trying to distract him. Trying to make him feel normal, rather than prisoner in his childhood home."

Hermione watched as Harry looked to the floor, ashamed. "I'm sorry for getting Sirius killed," Harry said softly.

"Harry...believe me when I say Sirius getting killed was in no way your fault." Regulus paused. Harry refused to look up from the floor. Guilt evident on his face. "Yes, you did something stupid and rash, but you did the best thing you could think of with the information you had at that time. He didn't tell you about the mirror. You had no idea what he had given you. That's on him, not you. Secondly, Bellatrix was the one to send him through the veil, not you. That's on her, not you. Thirdly, Dumbledore refused to tell you what was going on. He refused to tell you what may happen with your connection to Voldemort. That's on him, not you." Regulus paused again, watching Harry. "I don't blame you at all, Harry. Not even in the slightest. From what I know of my brother, and of my family, I know that that's how he would have wanted to go down. In a battle, in a fight to the death." Hermione watched as Harry looked up at Regulus, hesitant. "He wasn't in a good place, Harry. Not saying he was suicidal or anything, but his mind was fucked up from being stuck in Azkaban so long and then in Grimmauld Place. That's also not on you. That's on Dumbledore, alright?"

Harry gave a small nod, and wiped his eyes. "Okay," he spoke softly. Hermione could tell he was trying to believe what Regulus had told him. Trying to comprehend what he had said, but it was difficult.

"How about we look for the book here, get the trust vault set up, and then get out of here. How does that sound?" Hermione asked them.

"Sounds perfect." Regulus answered for the both of them.

The trio searched the room high and low, and after almost an hour of searching the titles Regulus found the book he was looking for. They quickly left the Family vault and got Hermione's trust vault set up. She had the vault that her parents, the Granger's, had set up for her transferred to her trust vault.

The trio returned to Grimmauld Place later in the evening and found Kingsley Shacklebolt and the Head Auror waiting for them there.

"Ah, Mr. Regulus Black," the Head Auror said to the room as the trio entered into the kitchen. Narcissa had gotten Kreacher to make the guests tea. As ever the perfect host, she was waiting there with them, making small talk until Regulus arrived.

"Mr. Black," the Head Auror stated again. "We need to go through some things with you down at the Ministry. We need a statement of your roles during the first war and this second one if you will." He smiled at Regulus, trying to put the group at ease.

"It's alright, Regulus." Kingsley said to him. "They just need to cover all the stuff that's gone on. It shouldn't take too long."

Hermione's hands were shaking as Regulus handed the book he was holding to her. "I'll be back, I promise." He whispered to her as he took her in for a hug.

Hermione gave a slight nod and a small smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Of course, father. I will wait up until you get back here, and you can tell me how it all went." She noted as the Head Auror's eyes grew wide at her response.

"You're Hermione Granger, are you not?" The Auror asked her.

"Yes, I was known as Hermione Granger until relatively recently, sir. My legal name is now Hermione Black. Regulus is my father," Hermione answered him, waiting for his response.

"And you're supposedly friends with Mr. Potter here," he motioned to Harry standing to the side of the room.

"We're best friends, sir." Harry corrected him.

The Head Auror nodded at them, cautious. "Of course, Mr. Potter. My apologies."

"Alright, Regulus. Time to head to the ministry to give your statement." Kingsley said trying to hide the grin on his face.

Hermione watched as Regulus, Kingsley and the auror left the kitchen and left Grimmauld Place heading to the Ministry.

...

* * *

...

Hermione stayed in the kitchen, Harry with her until two in the morning before Regulus returned.

"You guys didn't have to wait up," Regulus said as he stepped into the kitchen.

Hermione sipped her hot cocoa and firewhiskey. "Of course we did," she shook her head at him. "We're not doing anything else. Why wouldn't we stay up? What did they say?"

Regulus grabbed a glass out of the cupboard and poured himself a firewhiskey as he sat down at the table with them. He sighed. "Well...apparently I was a spy since before I was marked when I was sixteen. At least that was what Shacklebolt told the Aurors. I went with it. I told the Aurors what had happened both in the first war as well as the second war and my role in it. I said that because I was a Black I knew I was expected to follow the Dark Lord. I said that I had been working with the Order for years. I focused on what I had done in this last bit. I talked a bit about before, how I hid. Why I hid. Kingsley said Dumbledore had set it up so I'd give him information. That I had gave him, and only him, information during the first war. He said that after his death, during the second war I was working with Remus and Narcissa and Sirius to give them information when I could. To tell them what I had heard." He took a sip of his firewhiskey. "Remus has already given his statement stating that apparently. Same with Narcissa." He frowned. "I mean it was all true, at least my role in the second war. My role these last few years. It's not too far off at least."

Hermione watched as Regulus took another drink of his firewhiskey. "So that's it then. You're free to go?" She asked.

"Yep," he said with a pop. "The Head Auror realized that Harry and Hermione knew me. He said I was free to go. Thanked me for my service." He rolled his eyes. "Kind of alarming how easy it was. Makes me a bit uncomfortable, really." He frowned to himself.

"Kind of like how Draco's dad got away with it the first time," Harry muttered to himself. He looked up from his drink with wide eyes. "I didn't mean it like that...I'm so sorry Regulus. Really."

Hermione was watching as Regulus was chuckling. "I didn't have to grease anyone's palms, Harry. Come on, cut me some slack." Harry and Hermione snickered. "I think it was more you that got me off, to be honest with you. Both of you did, I think." Regulus looked at them both pointedly. "I'm pretty sure he's a big fan of the two of you. Harry especially; if you still wanted to, he'd sign you up as an Auror no problem."

"I'm still not sure I want to do that...maybe. I want to be a bit older before I have to decide. I want my NEWTS just in case I want to do something different," said Harry as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"You'll come back to school with me, for sure?" Hermione asked him, grinning.

Harry nodded at her. "I let Ron know when I was at The Burrow. That I was thinking of going to finish my NEWTS, Mrs. Weasley was happy, Ginny was happy too. Ron was angry. He didn't understand why I would. It's why I came back here today, or yesterday I suppose." Harry finished.

"Ron will come around...he always does Harry. You know that." Hermione tried to comfort him.

Harry nodded at his mug of cocoa. "I know...I just didn't want to be around him until he did so. I needed to let him cool off a bit." He looked to Hermione. "He was livid, Hermione. Absolutely livid. I think he thought we'd do everything together...always. I just needed a break. I need to figure out what I want to do with my life away from people who already have my life planned out for me."

"Did you tell him that?" Regulus asked him. Harry nodded.

"Yep." He took a sip of cocoa. "I just really want to be normal for one school year, without someone coming after me. No impersonated professor. No Triwizard Tournament. No frauds pretending to teach. No ministry officials. Nothing. I just want it to be as normal as possible."

Hermione reached over and squeezed his hand. "We'll figure it out Harry, I promise. I think this upcoming final year will be really great for you. For me too." She smiled at him and looked to Regulus. "I am exhausted, and I'm sure you both are as well. It's been a long day for all of us. I'm headed to bed."

"Don't forget your mind clearing exercises before you go to sleep." Regulus called out to Hermione as she stepped through the kitchen doorway and headed up the stairs to her room.

...

* * *

...

Monday morning began with Hermione, Harry and Ron meeting at the Ministry to give their statements regarding what had happened over the past year or so. The Department Of Magical Law Enforcement and the Wizengamot needed to start the court proceedings for the numerous Death Eaters awaiting trial. They had spent the entire morning and the better part of the afternoon going over everything with the officials. Finally they were finished. The trio had decided to go for a late lunch at The Leaky Cauldron, and had chosen to walk the short distance from the Ministry.

Hermione was walking behind Ron and Harry, listening as Ron apologized to Harry for his behaviour the week before. She smiled to herself as she followed the boys, lost in her own thoughts. Hermione exhaled, pressing all the air out of her lungs. She was pleased she didn't need to go over everything ever again. She just wanted to heal. Her sleep was better, but it was far from perfect. She rarely slept through the entire night. She knew she was jumpy during the day. Still on edge from what they had been through. They all were. Luna had woken everyone up the night before. She had started screaming in her sleep from a nightmare of her time held captive in the Malfoy Manor dungeons.

Narcissa had informed everyone there that while Luna was held captive, there were a number of Death Eaters who liked to pay her a visit in the dungeons. She told them that she had, for the most part, been able to stop the Death Eaters from harming Luna, but she was sure she hadn't stopped everyone. Hermione had watched when Theo asked if his father was one of those that paid her a visit. Narcissa assured him that he was one of those that she made sure wasn't ever in the dungeons with Luna. _Ever_. Hermione watched as Theo sagged in relief. She had wondered what that was about.

Finally, the trio had reached The Leaky Cauldron, Ron holding the heavy door open for Hermione and Harry to enter before him. As they stepped into the dingy pub, the chatter inside died away as the patrons took in who had entered the establishment.

"It's Harry Potter!" A voice cried out.

"It's the Golden Trio!" Another voice yelled from the back of the pub. Excited chattering began.

The patrons started standing up from their tables and began inching closer and closer to Ron, Harry and Hermione to get a better look. The trio shrunk back from the crowd attempting to gain more space between themselves and the strangers in the pub.

"Miss Black! Miss Black! How does it feel to have a Death Eater as a father?" A young man asked as he pushed up towards the trio.

"How _dare_ you!" Hermione exclaimed. She stood in front of Harry and Ron, feeling when both of her friends grabbed her arms to hold her back. She shook them off of her. "My father saved my life and countless others during this second war." She glared at the man. "Without him, I am sure Voldemort would still be around, wrecking havoc on everyone." She watched as numerous people winced when she said his name. "And how truly pathetic, that so many people are terrified of the name of a dead man." She turned to Harry and Ron. "I don't wish to eat here anymore, let's go somewhere else. Somewhere where we can all eat lunch in peace."

She stormed through the pub with Harry and Ron close behind her, she could feel her hair cackling; patrons quickly getting out of their way. She reached the back entrance of the pub - the entrance into Diagon Alley - grabbed the arms of her friends, and disapparated with a loud crack.

...

* * *

...

The trio landed on the top step of Grimmauld Place. Hermione roughly pushed open the door letting it bang against the wall, waking Walburga Black's portrait.

"Blood traitors!" The portrait screeched. "Children of filth!"

"Shut it you old, bigoted hag!" Hermione screeched right back. She watched as the portrait Walburga focused on her, taking in her appearance, noting the black hair and grey eyes.

"Who are you?" The portrait asked quietly in wonder.

"She's my daughter, mother." Regulus spoke from beside the portrait. He stepped in front of the painting blocking Hermione, Harry and Ron from her view.

"Regulus," Walburga whispered in shock. "You're alive?"

"I am." Regulus replied.

"How?" She asked.

"I pretended I was dead. I hid from everyone for a very long time to get away from the Dark Lord." Regulus replied.

"And your daughter? What of her?" Walburga asked him, Hermione could see her attempting to peer at her beyond Regulus' shoulder.

"I hid her with muggles. Dentists."

" _Muggles_." Walburga scowled at him.

"Don't start mother. I put up with your beliefs. They were very, very wrong." Regulus started arguing with her. "You say anything remotely insulting to my daughter. To anyone who visits ever again, and I will burn your portrait with you in it. Is that understood?"

Walburga gasped. Shocked at her son standing up to her. "You cannot destroy my portrait. I made sure. I am stuck here forever." She smirked at him.

"Then I will burn the entire Grimmauld Place to the ground." Regulus stated. "I certainly don't want to live here. I am the Head of the Most Noble and Ancient House of Black, my daughter Hermione is the Heir. You don't belong anymore. You have no say whatsoever over anything. You're done." Hermione watched as Regulus took out his wand and forced the curtains over her portrait closed.

Regulus turned to face the trio. "How was the Ministry?" He asked them.

"The Ministry was fine. It was the attempted late lunch after the Ministry that was the problem." Harry stated to him.

Regulus grimaced. "Where did you go?"

"The Leaky Cauldron," Ron answered him. "We got bombarded as soon as we walked in the door, so we left and came here." He looked over at Hermione. "Some git said some rotten stuff to 'Mione."

"What did he say?" Regulus asked Hermione.

Hermione shook her head at him. "It doesn't matter. It's done. We left." She attempted to get by Regulus in the hallway, but he blocked her from entering further into the house.

"Hermione..." Regulus coaxed. "What did the man say?"

Hermione sighed. "He asked me what it was like to have a Death Eater for a father."

Regulus grimaced, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry you had to put up with that. You shouldn't have had to deal with that...it's my fault."

"And I told you already...it doesn't matter. Now will you please get out of my way." Hermione glared at him. She watched as Regulus' mouth popped open. He stepped to the side, allowing her access into Grimmauld Place.

Hermione squeezed passed him, stomped up the stairs to her room and slammed her bedroom door. Lunch forgotten.


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The summer after Hermione's 6th year begins with her coming to the realization that she is not her parents' daughter. Follow Hermione as she comes to terms with who she is and where she comes from. The actions of good people are questioned, and people on the other side of the war are not as bad as they seem. Everyone has their secrets.

"Should I go after her?" Regulus asked Harry and Ron who were still standing in the entranceway of Grimmauld Place. "I don't think she's been angry with me before...I'm not sure what to do." He frowned to himself. He was at a loss.

Harry shook his head. "She's not mad at you...she's angry with that git's reaction to you."

"It's best to let her cool herself off...she has a bit of a temper when she gets going." Ron added. "I mean, even her hair was cackling, so..."

"Just give her a bit of time, then you can go up to talk with her." Harry recommended to him.

Regulus nodded to them as he led the two further into the house. The small group settled into the kitchen, where Draco and Theo were sitting, snacking on some food that Kreacher had laid out on the table.

"What happened to Hermione?" Theo asked them.

"A git at The Leaky Cauldron asked her how it was to have a Death Eater for a father." Ron answered him.

"Did she hex him into oblivion?" Draco asked, curious about the answer. Harry shook his head.

"Nah Draco," Theo grinned at him. "She only does that to you."

Draco scoffed. "She's never hexed me."

"You're right, she just punched you in the face." Ron smirked at him.

"Slapped me, Weaselbee." Draco corrected him. "She just slapped me, you were there. Surely you would remember that."

"What can I say, a lot of stuff happened that night." Ron responded.

"I saw her slap you twice, Draco." Harry told him. "Hermione and I went back in time to save Buckbeak and Sirius."

Regulus chuckled a bit to himself and grabbed a biscuit as he settled into a chair at the table.

"Why did she slap you?" Regulus asked Draco, watching his face as he answered, trying to get a read on him. The kid had a fantastic poker face.

Draco hesitated. "I think I said something cruel about that hippogriff, Buckbeak." He looked to Regulus. "I can't remember exactly what I said, but I know it wasn't nice." Regulus watched Draco frown to himself. "She has a need to protect the less fortunate, I think. I probably picked up on that around then, with her incessant research in the library regarding hippogriffs."

Harry hummed in agreement. "Yeah, she definitely does." He looked to Regulus. "She tried to set up an organization to save the house elves in fourth year. She called it S.P.E.W. - the Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare. She tried to set all the Hogwarts elves free. Thought that they were slaves. She thinks that they're being mistreated by Wizarding families." Regulus' eyebrows rose on his forehead, it was an ambitious undertaking.

Ron snorted as he took a swig of pumpkin juice. "She obviously doesn't understand their place. I mean that's normal. Why would you need to save them?" He muttered to himself.

Regulus narrowed his eyes at Ron. He was starting to understand why Hermione lost her temper. She had been fighting with the likes of Draco to earn her spot in the Wizarding world, enduring his wrath because she wasn't magical enough. She understood the biases faced by the non-wizard creatures and beings. He understood why she was angry at the man in The Leaky Cauldron. The man was questioning her place. Degrading her because of who her father was. She couldn't escape it.

"I think it's an excellent idea, Weaselbee." Draco drawled, picking up on the same things as Regulus had. "She obviously understands more than you do in terms of discrimination. I mean you're just poor. You are still pureblooded though." He paused, smirking. "If Hermione decides to start up her house elf organization again, tell her the Malfoy Family will support her one hundred percent. Publicly." He stood up from the table. "Gentlemen," he acknowledged them all, as he left the room.

Regulus grinned and grabbed one of the sandwiches that was on a tray on the table and put it on a plate. With the plate in his hand he stood up. "I'm going to go check on Hermione," he told the people in the room.

Regulus quickly made his way up the stairs of the house, thinking about what he needed to say to his daughter. He knocked lightly on her bedroom door, then opened it without waiting for a response. He stepped into Hermione's room and saw her lying on her back on her bed; the palms of her hands pressed into her eyes.

"Hey Hermione," Regulus started. "I've brought you a sandwich. I know you haven't had lunch yet." He placed the plate on the bedside table and sat on the edge of her bed facing her.

He heard Hermione sigh and watched her swallow. He reached for one of her hands still pressed into her eyes and pulled it down from her face. He held her hand with both of his and watched as she slowly lowered her other hand and opened her eyes to look at him.

"I really need to say something to you," Regulus began. "I need to say it all before you interrupt me, or argue with me, or shrug me off. Can you do that for me?" He asked her. She nodded at him, weary.

Regulus took a breath. "I know that you've spent your whole life not fitting in. I used to watch you occasionally from afar when you were in muggle school. When I saw you, you never had friends to play with. You always just stuck to yourself reading your books. I know that when you started doing magic you further isolated yourself. People thought you were weird. You were the weird girl turning pebbles into flowers in the playground at school. People were scared of you; they knew you were different from them. This was just one more thing that isolated you from them. That made you stand out from them. Children can be cruel, I know. I waited outside your home on your eleventh birthday, disillusioned so McGonagall wouldn't see me. I watched as she gave you your Hogwarts letter. I watched as you believed that you would finally fit in somewhere."

He swallowed, trying to gather his thoughts. "I know that your time at Hogwarts has been anything but belonging for you as Hermione Granger, Muggleborn witch. As an exceptionally smart Muggleborn witch. I know that you've put up with a lot of bullshit because of your blood status. I read the Daily Prophet during the time it published those horrible stories about you in your fourth year. I know that the only reason Skeeter said anything like that about you was because you were a Muggleborn witch. You had no family - no Wizarding family - to protect you from her venom. To prevent it from happening in the first place."

"I also know that you have a personal understanding of the discrimination and biases that non-wizard beings and creatures face from the Wizarding world. You've experienced the same biases, the same discrimination from almost everyone, friends and enemies alike. You've experienced the whole 'you don't understand our ways, you're not from here' bullshit, that most Pureblood people spew. Believe me, I know. I used to spew it, too." Regulus paused trying to figure out what he was attempting to say. "I hear that you tried to set up an organization to help house elves. I think I can infer that at least one of your friends told you the idea was stupid when you started it in your fourth year. Ron Weasley is the typical pureblooded wizard. I'm not saying he's a bad person, not at all. But I do know that house elf treatment and their place in a household has been that way for hundreds of years. Changing it would break tradition. Changing it would be against the norm according to people like him, the typical Pureblood." He was watching her as he spoke.

He could tell Hermione was curious as to where he was going with his speech. "I have a pretty good idea that you expected to be treated differently since now you are no longer a Muggleborn witch. And you will be, don't get me wrong. But...I also know that now you are a Black. That you are a member of the Black Family; the Heir, or Heiress if you will. And because you are a Black, people are going to find another way to discriminate against you. Because of the history of the family. Because of me. Because of my choices, my actions. And for that I am truly sorry...that you are going to have to continue to deal with the bullshit that is prevalent in Wizarding society." Regulus looked down at her hand cupped in both of his. He gave it a squeeze. "I will do anything you want me to do if you feel like you can't take it. I will do anything you ask of me to make it easier for you. I will do anything to change that perception, that discrimination, that you have faced for your whole life. Anything. Do you understand? If you want to blame me, and yell at me sometimes, that's okay. I understand. I know that I deserve it. I deserve to hear it."

Hermione sniffed and sat up in her bed. "I'm just really tired of it all. The 'bullshit' as you put it. I'm tired of dealing with it. I'm tired of experiencing it first-hand. I'm tired of it feeling the exact same as it did before Voldemort fell. And I know it's been only a few weeks since that's happened. I know it's unrealistic to think that anything would change in that short amount of time. I guess I just hoped that people were faking their prejudice, to keep themselves safe from Voldemort. I think it was naive of me to believe that. But I couldn't help myself. When that man asked me what it was like having a Death Eater for a father, I was so angry. I still am. I am just really tired of people judging without knowing. Without understanding. I called him out on his... _shit_. I told him that you had saved my life, and the lives of many others. I told the room that without you, Voldemort would probably still be around. Then I called everyone out who flinched at his name. I'm just tired of the cowardly behaviour. I feel like that's what caused so many issues in the first place." Regulus watched as she gave him a half smile. "I've already dealt with Skeeter. She won't be writing garbage about me anymore."

Regulus' eyebrows rose high on his forehead. What was she hinting at? "What do you mean, you've dealt with Skeeter?"

"I figured out that she is an unregistered animagus, like Sirius was. She's a beetle. I caught her after the third task of the Triwizard Tournament in fourth year. I stuck her in a jar for a few weeks. I made her interview Harry in fifth year about Voldemort coming back. About what had happened. I wouldn't allow her to publish the interview in the Quibbler until I approved every last word that she wrote." Hermione shrugged, and grabbed half of her sandwich and took a big bite.

Regulus was in shock. His daughter blackmailed someone when she was still a fucking child. He rubbed his face with both hands. "You probably shouldn't go around blackmailing people, Hermione." He stopped and started chuckling. "That was very...House of Black, what you did. Anything else like that I should know about?" _Please say no_ , he thought to himself.

Hermione nodded to him. "I cursed the D.A sign up sheet in fifth year. The defence group that Harry taught. I made everyone sign it and made it so anyone who said anything to anyone else with malicious intent, to get cursed. A girl said some stuff to Umbridge in order to disband the group. In order to catch those who were standing up to Umbridge at that time. Marietta Edgecombe is her name." She paused and took another bite of her sandwich.

"What was the curse, Hermione?" Regulus asked her. "She's okay?" He was staring wide-eyed at his daughter as she munched on her sandwich.

"She's fine." Hermione waved him off. "She just has some really bad acne on her forehead spelling out the word 'sneak'." She paused. "I'm not sure how long it'll last."

Regulus was unsure if he should be proud or angry at his daughter's behaviour. "Where did you get the curse? Where did you learn about it?" He asked her. He knew that the book it came from, the family or person who invented that spell, would give a good indication of how long it would last for.

Hermione stopped her munching. "I got it from a book here that I read before fifth year." She looked at him. "Why?"

"What kind of book?" Regulus asked her, the spell didn't seem familiar to him. "Was it a book you could buy in a store somewhere, did it say when it was published?"

Regulus watched as Hermione slowly shook her head. "It was in a journal it looked like. It was written with a quill. Not printed or published by anyone."

"Hermione!" Regulus all but yelled at her. "That was the book on Black Family magic. Why were you reading that?"

Hermione gulped. "Sirius showed me the book that summer. I needed to get away from the Weasleys, I'm used to being an only child. Having them all around all the time was tiring. I was hiding in the library one day before Harry got here. Sirius came in to hide from Mrs. Weasley, I think. He grabbed the book from a shelf somewhere and showed me some of it. He let me read it. He said that I may find a few spells in it that would be helpful one day. I thought he was just mad that he couldn't tell Harry anything, so he found a loophole and told me instead. I just assumed that he wanted to prepare me as best he could for what he knew would happen."

Regulus watched as Hermione paused, lost in thought. "He said I may be learning about some of them in the future anyway. He told me I reminded him of someone who used to hide in the library to get away from their parents. I thought at the time he was talking about one of his friends. Remus or someone like that, I don't know. He was talking about you, wasn't he?" She was gaping at him. "He knew didn't he. Before you told him I was your daughter. He knew that it was me. He already knew you had a daughter. He knew your daughter's age, give or take. He knew that your daughter would be in the same year as Harry. He put two and two together. Took a guess and figured it was me."

Regulus grinned. "It seems like it, doesn't it?" Hermione nodded at him, and took another bite of her sandwich.

Regulus watched as she frowned. "How did you learn about S.P.E.W.?" Hermione asked him.

"Harry brought it up downstairs just now." Regulus answered her. "Draco said you appear to want to stick up for the less fortunate." Hermione looked surprised. "He mentioned that you slapped him in third year. I wanted to know why. He said he thought it was something to do with the hippogriff that you and Harry saved that year, along with Sirius. He told me he said something cruel about Buckbeak." Hermione was nodding at him. "Harry agreed with Draco, and brought up your house elf organization that you started in fourth year."

Hermione snorted. "I didn't go about it the right way I don't think. I was trying to trick the elves into becoming free elves. That was wrong...I see that now." She frowned to herself. "I just didn't want other elves to be treated like Dobby, or Winky. Or like that elf named Hokey, who was framed for killing that witch, Hepzibah Smith. I mean it's wrong that the house elves from the Black Family look forward to being decapitated. That's disturbing...so incredibly disturbing."

Regulus was nodding at her, she had a point. "What about bringing awareness to change how they are treated. Not tricking them to becoming free elves. But creating laws to protect them from abusive households. I don't think you can convince people that elves deserve to be paid —" he raised his hand to stop her from interrupting him. "At least not yet. You have to make changes slowly. Changing traditions too quickly will make people disregard everything you do or say." Regulus looked at her pointedly. "If you want to change something, you are going to have to play politics. You're going to have to learn how to work with people who you don't necessarily like, in order to get things done." Hermione gave him a small smile. "Draco has told Ron that the Malfoy Family will support your endeavours for house elf rights one hundred percent. Publicly. I know he's a bit of a ponce, but he would be a great person to work with. The Malfoy Family still has support from a lot of the more traditional families. He would be an asset to have. You'd have to learn how to work with him."

"How will I learn how to do that?" She asked Regulus. "I tend to bulldoze over everyone when I get focused on something. I tend to disregard other people's opinions." She frowned at herself.

"We can work on it. Together, if you want." Regulus told her.

"Will we work on it during the summer?" Hermione asked him.

"Possibly." Regulus replied. "Or maybe through your last year at Hogwarts. I don't know if I can give you a crash course in it. It's going to take time to learn the tricks and skills. It's a complex thing to learn. How you hold yourself, speak to others. That sort of thing."

"I don't want to change the person that I am. I don't want to lose myself and turn into a cookie-cutter Heiress, or whatever." Hermione was watching Regulus closely, frowning.

"I promise I won't force you to change yourself. I'm just talking about polishing up some things. How to speak to certain people. How to gain attention and drive your point across; gain support for your cause." Regulus looked at Hermione. "You are going to need to look the part as well. We are going to need to polish up how you dress and appear in public."

"Are my muggle clothes not appropriate for the House of Black?" Hermione asked him, eyebrow raised.

Regulus chuckled. "I never said that. I just mean polishing up your look. Nicer jeans. Nicer blouses. Dresses that sort of thing. Some Wizarding clothes as well. You belong in this society, you can't let people find something to say you don't fit in. You're a young adult now, you need to start looking like one, rather than like a student. No one will take you seriously if you don't look the part."

Regulus watched as Hermione thought about his point, eyebrows scrunched together in thought. "I suppose you have a point." Hermione conceded. She looked to him with a grin on her face. "Are you offering to take me shopping to better represent the House of Black?" She queried.

Regulus snorted. "Absolutely not. I was offering for you to go with Narcissa to do some shopping. She knows how to look the part quite well."

Hermione frowned. "I'm afraid that if I do go with her, I'll be stuck wearing strictly Wizarding outfits. Like I've said before, I don't want to lose myself. I don't want to erase the life I've lived. It's an important part of who I am as a witch and as a person."

"Then when you two do go shopping you'll need to tell her that." Regulus looked at her pointedly. "She will listen to you, she has to, you're the next in line to head the House of Black after me." He paused. "She also may show you how to deal with people who don't agree with everything you say. You'll have to convince her to take you to a muggle shop. I suggest a high-end one initially. Narcissa wouldn't be caught dead in a shop without designer things, muggle or magical."

...

* * *

...

Two days later Hermione was heading out of Grimmauld Place with Narcissa Malfoy on a quest to find some outfits 'fit for an heiress', as Narcissa put it. She was terrified. Narcissa was an intimidating woman. The day prior she had taken some gold out of Gringotts Bank to cover her purchases.

"I suggest we stop at Twilfitt and Tatting's first," Narcissa said to her after they appeared in Diagon Alley. "We need to get you some proper witches robes and outfits, the ones you have are ghastly and outdated."

"I agree," Hermione said to her, understanding the need for compromise. "I would love to stop by a muggle store as well. I do need some new jeans and shirts. None of mine fit me quite right anymore." Narcissa stopped her quick paced walking and turned to look at Hermione in shock. "I'll need to convert some galleons to muggle money I think. You'll love the store I want to visit, Mrs. Malfoy, they have some superb quality items there. Perhaps you can find something for yourself as well. My treat for all the help you're giving me." Hermione smiled at her, and continued their journey through Diagon Alley. Her hands were shaking, she had never stuck up for herself like that before. She clutched her hands together to hide her nervousness.

Hermione pushed the door to Twilfitt and Tatting's open, a bell chiming to announce the pair's arrival. An older witch seemingly glided from the back of the store to the front to greet her new customers. "Ah, Lady Malfoy, Miss Black. What a wonderful surprise." The old witch crinkled her eyes as she smiled at them. "What may I be helping you with today?"

"Miss Black needs some appropriate witchwear. I suggest some robes and dresses for her to wear. Dressy, but not over the top. Traditional as well." Narcissa informed the old witch.

Hermione frowned, not too traditional, she thought to herself. "I was leaning towards something more modern than the traditional witches outfits" She looked to Narcissa, who was watching her with an eyebrow raised. She turned to look at the old witch, what was her name? "I would like to embody a more modern and accepting look for the Black Family. I was thinking of something that tied in both muggle and Wizarding fashion. To illustrate my upbringing and to illustrate the Black Family and their acceptance and support of muggles and Muggleborns." Her and Regulus had run through the look she wanted to go with and he had helped her with what she should say. He told her that it was important to show the Black Family position politically before the time would come when she stood before the Wizengamot to argue for the rights of mistreated people and beings.

The old witch was watching Hermione with pursed lips. Had she said something wrong? "I have just the outfits for you, Miss Black. I know exactly the look you're going for." She said to her. Hermione sagged in relief. "Follow me, dear. I will set you up in a fitting room for you to try on some outfits to see what you are comfortable with." The old lady turned and began walking to the rear of the store. Hermione followed suit.

Hermione was in her new bra and knickers that her, Luna and Ginny all went shopping for the day before. She was in the fitting room waiting for the old lady to return with some outfits for her to try on. She was scrutinizing herself in the mirror. Her ribs were less pronounced. She was gaining the weight she had lost while on the run relatively quickly. She glared at her hair in the mirror. While it was no longer frizzy, due to the release of the glamour that Regulus had placed on her, it was still a mess. Her curls were wild, she swore they had a mind of their own and did whatever they wanted. Her hair was down to the middle of her back, it was quite long for her. Perhaps she should get a trim to clean it up, she thought to herself. She was still getting used to the jet black hair that she sported and the cool slate grey eyes. She felt she looked alarmingly like Bellatrix. But without the insane look in her eyes. And the rotten teeth, she supposed as she ran her tongue over her own. She looked at her chest in the mirror and frowned. Her breasts were still annoyingly large, although smaller than they had been before the horcrux hunt. She felt they didn't suit her body and had gone out of her way to camouflage them while she was at school; she had always gone for shirts and jumpers too large for her frame, she hadn't wanted people to stare. She curled her arms around herself, self-conscious of what she was looking at. She looked down to her hips, a part of her that she had no problem with. Not too big and not too small. Subtle, but still there. She liked that. She didn't mind her legs either. Although they were a bit on the short side, she didn't really have any issue with them. She figured she must have gotten her height from her mother, Regulus was just over six feet tall, Hermione stood only five foot three inches. She'd have to ask Regulus more about her mother she decided. _Did she have curly hair like her daughter?_

"Okay, Miss Black. I have your outfits for you to try on. May I come in to help you get dressed?" The old lady called to her through the curtain.

"Yes, of course," Hermione called out, ending her scrutinizing herself.

The curtain was pulled open and the old witch walked into the fitting room, outfits trailing behind her on a rack. Hermione watched as the lady pushed the rack up against one of the walls in the fitting room, allowing for better movement in the room and room to try on the many items present. The witch tugged the curtain closed again and turned to look at her. She smiled kindly at Hermione and clapped her hands together.

"Now dear, there is nothing to be afraid of. Let's get you in the first outfit I picked for you. Lady Malfoy requested that you show her each one." She said to Hermione as she stepped towards the rack of clothes, selecting an outfit on the end of the rack.

Hermione looked at the rack, there had to be at least fifteen different outfits there. This was going to be a long day.

The first outfit she tried on looked almost entirely muggle. It was a black pencil skirt with a waist that came up to just under her bust. The skirt went just past her knees. The top she was wearing appeared to be silk, and was a button up blouse in a deep burgundy. It almost looked black until the light hit it at the right angle. Hermione looked at herself in the mirror, she looked like a young business woman.

"What do you think, dear?" The lady asked her.

"Overall I like it...but I'm not sure about the colour. I feel like it's too much black." Hermione frowned at herself in the mirror. Her bust was on display as well from the cut of the outfit. She brought a hand up unconsciously to hide herself.

"Don't worry about the colour. We can make this outfit in any colour you want. Perhaps a brighter red? Or even a blue for the top would look well with your skin tone." The old witch smiled kindly at her. "You need to stop being self-conscious about your body," she told Hermione as she gently pushed her arm down, away from her bust.

Hermione nodded at her, she knew that she had a point. She frowned once more in the mirror and removed the hair elastic from her wrist. She quickly tied her mane of hair up, away from her face and off of the outfit she was wearing. _No hiding_ , she chided herself.

"Ready to show Lady Malfoy?" The old witch asked.

Hermione nodded again, turned around and left the fitting room.

Narcissa was sitting on a chair in an area off of the fitting rooms. Her eyebrows rose high on her forehead as Hermione walked closer to her. Hermione watched as Narcissa slowly stood up not taking her eyes off of the outfit. Hermione stood in place as Narcissa made her way around Hermione, scrutinizing everything it seemed. Hermione swallowed nervously. Was this too muggle?

"I am not familiar with this style," Narcissa said to the women. "Although I do quite like the cut of it." Hermione felt her brush her hand over Hermione's back as she completed her inspection.

"I took inspiration from the muggle world," the old lady told the two. "I was walking to work one day, I needed inspiration, and I saw a muggle woman wearing almost this exact outfit. I did make the skirt a tad bit longer, to cover the knee. I thought it illustrated a strong business woman. At least that was the feeling I got from the muggle woman that I saw."

Hermione watched as Narcissa made eye contact with her. She nodded. "I do like it. It should represent the new House of Black quite well." Narcissa told Hermione. "What other colours are you thinking of?" She asked Hermione.

"I'm not entirely sure, something not too dark. I do like the colour blue quite a lot. Possibly a purple as well for the top." Hermione answered her.

"A brighter red as well, I think. To show you are a Gryffindor still." Narcissa added on. She gave Hermione a small smile. "Let's see something else. Something more traditional for when she will be working with the traditional Pureblood families."

Hermione and the assistant returned to the fitting room and got started on the second outfit. After Hermione had it on she again scrutinized herself in the mirror. It was more traditional, she'd give Narcissa that. It was a dress, which landed just below her knee. It was fitted quite snuggly; the top of the dress was similar to the one Regulus had gotten her for their trip to Gringotts. It had a high neckline and a structured bodice. The sleeves however, were bell shaped. The ends of the sleeves reached the full length of the dress when Hermione held her hands in a more natural position.

Hermione looked to the old witch and saw that she was holding up a cloak of some sort. Hermione nodded to her, allowing the woman to place the cloak on her. Hermione watched as the cloak was clipped in place. It was a cape, it looked like. The entire ensemble was a light blue colour.

"What do you think of this one?" The old witch asked Hermione.

Hermione frowned. "I really don't like it on me. It's a beautiful outfit, don't get me wrong. It's just not me." Hermione turned to the side and continued to look at herself in the mirror. "I do like the colour though. I think it suits my skin tone quite well."

The old witch was nodding at her, she agreed with Hermione. "Let's show Lady Malfoy anyway. See what she says." She gestured to Hermione to leave the fitting room before her.

Hermione stopped in front of Narcissa, who again stood up and inspected Hermione's outfit thoroughly. "What do you think of this one, Miss Black?" Narcissa asked her.

"It's nice, but it's not me." Hermione looked Narcissa in the eyes, trying to beg her to understand.

"Why is it not you?" Narcissa asked her. "You're a Black. This is what a witch from the House of Black would wear. Are you _not_ a Black?" She raised an eyebrow at Hermione, waiting for her response.

Hermione swallowed, thinking about what she wanted - no, needed - to say. "To me this is a costume. It's beautiful, it's classy, and it's traditional. Like you've repeatedly inferred." She paused and took a breath. "I'm not traditional. I'm me. I'm rough around the edges. I'm unsure of proper Pureblood protocol. I'm ignorant of many of the Pureblood traditions that have been around since, I don't know...the Middle Ages. I love history, and I love learning about new things, love learning about the House of Black. But please don't assume that I will change the person that I am in my core, in my soul, to fit a family whose traditions haven't changed for hundreds of years. The people who raised me were muggles. I very much identify as a Muggleborn witch, it's all I've ever known. My mother's parents were Muggleborns themselves." She paused again, looking at Narcissa. "If you met me somewhere and I told you two of my grandparents were Muggleborn, would you refer to me as a pureblooded witch?" She asked Narcissa.

Narcissa shook her head. "No, I wouldn't. You're not pure enough to be considered Pureblood in most circles. Certainly not in the more traditional circles. Most families really don't care about blood status and even those families would see you as a half blooded witch."

Hermione nodded, agreeing. "Then why am I wearing this Pureblood witches outfit? To me, it seems like I am trying to hide my blood status when I have this on. I'm not. I am proud of who I am and who I was raised by. To me this outfit hides who I am."

Narcissa pursed her lips and nodded. "I see your point." Hermione exhaled in relief. "I will concede that this is not the outfit for you."

"Thank you, Narcissa." Hermione said to her, truly relieved.

Narcissa gave Hermione a small nod in understanding. "Let's try on something else."

...

* * *

...

_Four hours_.

They were in Twilfitt and Tatting's for four hours before they were ready to leave.

Hermione stopped by Gringotts for a quick money exchange into muggle currency before she and Narcissa headed out into Muggle London. She was able to get herself a few pairs of jeans and a couple of shirts, for casual wear as Narcissa said, before they returned to Grimmauld Place. Hermione's Twilfitt and Tattings outfits would be ready in a week she was told. An owl would be sent to inform her they were ready to be picked up. As Narcissa and Hermione made their way into the old house they both heard what sounded like a baby's laughter coming from the kitchen.

Hermione gasped. "Teddy," she whispered to herself and made a detour to the kitchen to see the baby.

Hermione softly pushed open the door of the kitchen, Narcissa close behind. She spotted both Remus and Tonks sitting close together as they watched Harry play with Teddy in his lap. Regulus looked up at Hermione and Narcissa as they entered the room. He smiled at Hermione. Noticing her muggle shopping bag, he winked at her, amusement in his eyes. He then looked away from her to someone else who Hermione hadn't spotted during her initial look through the kitchen.

"Andy?" Narcissa gasped.

Hermione watched as Andromeda stood up from her place at the table and made her way to her sister.

"Cissa," Andromeda gave Narcissa a cautious smile. "Long time, no see."


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The summer after Hermione's 6th year begins with her coming to the realization that she is not her parents' daughter. Follow Hermione as she comes to terms with who she is and where she comes from. The actions of good people are questioned, and people on the other side of the war are not as bad as they seem. Everyone has their secrets.

Hermione tucked herself in between Harry and Regulus at the kitchen table, cooing at baby Teddy as she sat down. Andromeda and Narcissa had left the room together, seeking out somewhere more private to talk with each other after so many years without contact. She held out her hand to Teddy as he watched her from Harry's lap, curious at the newcomer. His hair was currently identical to Harry's - messy black, although his eyebrows, from what she could tell were more of a lighter colour. He reached out and grabbed one of her fingers and gave her hand a big tug.

"He's so strong!" Hermione squealed, looking to Tonks and Remus. She watched as Tonks grinned at her in agreement.

"That he is!" She said excitedly. "Be careful with your hair though. He loves grabbing onto hair and pulling as hard as he can. My mum found out the hard way." She snickered.

Remus cleared his throat, trying not to laugh at the memory. "I heard from Minerva yesterday." He said to Regulus. "She asked if I wanted to come back to teach Defence Against the Dark Arts."

"And?" Regulus queried. "What did you tell her? Are you going to? You'd be superb for the job...again."

Remus smiled and shook his head. "I said I wouldn't right now. I want to spend time with Teddy. Dora is going back to work in a couple of months. She's been off for quite a while with everything that was going on." Remus paused. "I told her that while I would love to teach again, eventually, I do know that hiring a werewolf right out of the gate after Voldemort's demise would not sit well with most people." He frowned. "Umbridge's laws are apparently in the process of being overturned as she has been sent to Azkaban for her crimes against Muggleborns and Half-breeds," Remus gave air quotations to the last term. "But I still think it's a bit too soon for most people." He smiled. "I did give her a recommendation though, for another person who I think would be perfect for the job."

Regulus frowned. "Who?"

"You." Remus said to him.

Regulus was shocked. "Me?" He looked to Hermione, she was nodding at Remus' recommendation. "I'm a Death Eater." He said stupidly to the room.

"Oh please," Harry started. "Snape taught our sixth year. And in fourth, Barty Crouch Jr. taught us...as Mad-eye Moody mind you, but still. We still learned loads. He was probably my second favourite professor behind Remus. He knew his stuff, he was just...you know...Barty Crouch Jr.."

Hermione hummed in agreement with Harry. "He was quite intense, wasn't he? But Harry is right, he knew his stuff." She looked to Regulus. "You know your stuff as well. You taught me during the weeks before the Battle of Hogwarts, I know I would've died or been badly hurt if you hadn't done that."

Regulus frowned, still not entirely convinced. "I highly doubt Minerva would want me there teaching kids. She'd get a lot of flack for it, that's for sure. She doesn't need that in her first year as Headmistress."

Hermione smacked him on his arm. "You'd be an asset, just like Remus would be. She knows that I'm sure. Besides, how else would you teach me how to be an Heir for the Most Noble and Ancient House of Black if you weren't there everyday. That's a lot of owls and floo calls if you're not there, in my opinion."

Regulus gave her a half smile. "We'll see." He frowned. "I'd need to think about it for a bit. I don't really know a thing about teaching." He rubbed the back of his neck in thought.

"It is a lot of work," Remus told him. "But it is pretty worthwhile in my humble opinion," he smiled.

"And that's assuming Minerva agrees with your recommendation. She could think you're nuts with your suggestion...she certainly doesn't have to listen to what you say," Regulus argued.

"True," Remus agreed. "But she was definitely open to the idea."

"We'll see," Regulus said again.

...

* * *

...

The next morning Hermione was sitting at the kitchen table - still half asleep - munching on some breakfast with the rest of the houseguests. It was a requirement in the house, according to Narcissa, to have everyone eat breakfast together. The other two meals were allowed to be skipped entirely or consumed somewhere else. She had told the room that while they had all experienced turbulence throughout the last few years, having breakfast together was a way to gain some sort of control over their lives. Breakfast was served everyday at seven thirty in the morning. She had told the room of teenagers, and Regulus, that anyone not there would be required to clean a room of her choosing - without magic. Not one person had been late for, or missed breakfast since they all arrived there weeks before.

A tapping could be heard at the kitchen window, the entire table turned to look at the window and the owl waiting on the ledge on the outside. Hermione, being closest, slowly stood up from her chair and walked to the window to let the owl in. It hopped in and nipped Hermione's hand gently as she removed the letter from its leg. She offered the owl a piece of bacon from her plate, which the owl wolfed down quicker than she had seen any bird do, and flew off without waiting for a reply.

She took a peek at the name on the envelope and seeing that it named her father as the recipient, she handed the letter to him.

Hermione sat back in her chair and restarted her breakfast, paying attention to Regulus as he opened the letter. She watched as he unfolded the parchment and began reading. His eyebrows rose slowly up his forehead the longer he read the letter addressed to him.

"Who's it from?" Hermione questioned him, unable to wait any further.

"It's for a meeting with McGonagall at Hogwarts in a couple of hours. They've started to repair the castle, a few of the teachers who were available and some magical architects apparently." He said as he skimmed over the letter again. "She'd like me to meet her in her office, the Headmistress' office, to discuss a few things." Regulus looked at her when he finished.

Hermione was grinning at him, nodding. Implying that he should take the job.

"Are you going to be one of our teachers, come September?" Theo asked looking up from his plate of scrambled eggs, hungover. He and Draco had gone out the evening before - they were now paying the price.

"Don't talk so loud, mate." Draco begged him.

"Fools, both of you." Narcissa stated loudly to the room. "'Everything in moderation' I said. But did you listen? No. Why would you? I'm only your mother."

"You're not my mum," Theo argued. "But I swear...you are my favourite person, Narcissa." Theo paused, swallowing and looking green in the face. "Surely there is a hangover potion around. I'm sure it's such a thing. Why can't we have one?"

Narcissa sniffed. "To show both of you that moderation is best. How else will you learn?" She sipped her tea, smiling at Theo. "And dear Theodore, I can assure you that you are my favourite as well. Mother or not."

"But...what about me?" Draco whispered to the room. A pained expression on his face.

Hermione snickered into her hand. _Poor Malfoy._

"You're just my son I suppose. I guess I'm stuck with you." Narcissa replied to him, eyebrow raised in annoyance. She smirked at Draco. "Eat your eggs, Draco. You'll feel better." She patted his hand and returned to her scone with apricot jam.

Regulus was grinning. "To answer your question Theodore. Possibly. Although I haven't heard from McGonagall personally, yet. Just from Remus."

"You'd be a good professor, Regulus...sir...Mr Black." Theo frowned, at a loss as to what to call him.

Regulus scoffed. "Please don't call me Mr. Black, that's my father. He was a cold, manipulative bastard."

Theo nodded in understanding. "Understood sir."

"Regulus is fine." Regulus prompted.

"Okay sir. Sounds good." Theo replied, grinning and scooping a fork full of eggs.

...

* * *

...

Regulus appeared with a soft crack at the gates leading into Hogwarts. He took a quick look around as he walked through the grounds, taking notice of the landscaping that had been repaired from the damage of the Battle. From the outside, the castle looked good. As good as ever, really. It was a magnificent place.

He pulled his cloak a bit higher up on his neck. It was still a bit chilly out; the Scottish air crisp upon his exposed skin. Either that or he was too used to the weather in the south. Probably that, he figured. He never liked the cold - it reminded him of Grimmauld Place - which was cold in more ways than one.

It had been a long time since he had been here. Disregarding the Battle, where he was focused on the task at hand. Now, with everything and everyone safe, memories of his time here we're running through his head.

He could almost see his brother and his friends hanging out sprawled under the big tree by the lake. He could still hear his brother's barking laughter as he and his friends told jokes to one another. Or recounted their numerous pranks on the Hogwarts population. Or when they teased James Potter with his unwavering infatuation with Lily Evans.

He remembered how on edge everyone was near the second half of his education here. Knowing that something horrible was going to be happening to their peers. To their parents. To their friends and loved ones.

He remembered when he and Madeleine walked around the entire lake during Winter Break in their seventh year. They were snuggled up with each other as they slowly made their way around the lake. Protecting each other from the cold. Protecting each other from the shit going on on the outside. Trying to act their age for a change - no expectations, no missions, no pain. Just one another.

They had been some of the very few people who had stayed behind during that break. The majority of students had left to spend time with their families, knowing that it may be the last time that they ever did.

_Fuck this was difficult._

Regulus finally reached the entrance into the castle, pushing the huge door open to gain access. He walked through the entrance, peering into the Great Hall as he passed by, noticing the four tables lined up in their respective positions. Empty. He made his way up the grand staircase, working his way up to the headmistress' office. He could hear people talking off in the distance. Repairs to the stonework being done. Dust in the air.

He reached the hallway with the gargoyle entrance and stopped. Headmistress McGonagall was standing by the entranceway waiting for him to arrive. She turned when she heard his steps abruptly stop.

She smiled at him, in her trademark way. "Ah Mr. Black. Regulus. You are right on time."

"Minerva," Regulus said in greeting. He watched as she said the password to the gargoyle and followed her up the stairs into her new office.

"I haven't had the chance yet to change any of Albus' decorations that he's done in here over the years. I know Severus hadn't changed a thing when he was headmaster last year." She looked severely at a little trinket, undoubtedly Albus' choosing, and frowned trying to figure out what the tacky looking thing was.

Regulus smiled at her. "I'm sure you'll have plenty of time to make the place yours."

Minerva hummed. "Perhaps," She acquiesced. "Have a seat, Regulus." She stated as she held out her hand to one of the chairs facing the Headmistress' desk. She carried on walking to her place behind the desk and sat down. Regulus waiting until she sat down before he himself did. He couldn't get rid of some of the traditions that he had learned during his upbringing; it was one of those things that was permanently ingrained in him.

"Down to business." Minerva said. "I asked you here today to discuss a potential opportunity - an employment opportunity - for you here at Hogwarts. Are you okay with working? I hope I'm not overstepping my boundaries. I know traditionally Blacks didn't work...at least not like what I am offering you."

Regulus smiled at her. "You're not overstepping anything, Minerva. I'm not against working at all. Although I should warn you...I have never had a job before. I just lived off of the gold that I had access to for the last twenty odd years or so." He frowned. "I really have no idea what I'm supposed to do."

"It's no matter, Regulus." Minerva began, waving away his concern. "I have been searching for someone to teach Defence Against the Dark Arts over the next few years. Remus was my first choice, but with little Teddy now is not the best time for him. He recommended you to take the position." She looked down at some parchment on her desk. "I have to say, I agree with his recommendation. Your grades were the top of your year, all throughout your schooling. Why is it we never noticed this?" She asked him, lifting the parchment with his school records and waving it around.

Regulus grinned. "Probably because the headmaster during my time had a bias towards Slytherin students. That, and I am a Black - the darkest, scariest family out there." He watched as Minerva frowned. "Nothing against you, Minerva. I always respected you when I was a student. After I left, too. I know you've shown all of your students respect, regardless of their house, or family name."

Minerva nodded at him, agreeing. "Are you open to the idea to teach here?" She asked him. "You would be an asset to the school, and would definitely help the students here."

"I think so, yes." Regulus replied. "I've been told I would be good for the position when Remus visited the other day." Minerva smiled at him. "How will this work though...I mean, Hermione - my daughter, will be one of your eighth year students. Can I teach her still? Am I allowed to do that?" He questioned her.

"I checked, and yes, you are allowed. This is her NEWT year so the majority of her grades will be coming from her examinations. But, the guidelines state that as long as there was no apparent bias between parent and student, it would be allowed," Minerva stated.

Regulus watched as Minerva hesitated. "May I ask you a personal question?" She asked him. He nodded. "Who is Hermione's mother? I am assuming it wasn't the muggle woman that I met when I visited her house to give her her Hogwarts letter."

Regulus shook his head. "No, it wasn't. I hid her with them just after she was born. Her mother was Madeleine Erickson. The Ravenclaw girl in my year. Her parents were both Muggleborn healers who died from dragon pox during our last year here."

"I remember her," Minerva exclaimed. "She was such a bright girl. Quiet. Curly, brown hair. Correct?" She checked with him. He nodded again. "I had no idea she was with child during that time. You two hid your relationship very well. What ever happened to her?" She looked at him with questioning eyes.

"She died during childbirth. She lost too much blood, we couldn't go to St. Mungo's for the labour. It wasn't safe for either of us." Regulus replied, trying not to think too much about that horrible time.

"I am terribly sorry for your loss, Regulus." Minerva spoke softly.

"Thank you," Regulus replied quietly.

The silence between them stretched out for a bit.

Minerva cleared her throat. "Now...I hate to change the topic so abruptly," she started.

"It's appreciated, truly." Regulus said.

"Well then," Minerva said. "We need to discuss how the teaching will be this next year. It's a bit of a mess due to the school shutting down early. None of the students were able to do their OWLs or their NEWTs." Regulus nodded, indicating that he was following along. "Fifth year students this past year will be allowed to carry on taking their choice of sixth year courses, assuming of course, that they took the course prior. We will be disregarding OWL scores from this current school year because they do not exist. The NEWT students were also unable to take their examinations. They will be allowed to come here as eighth year students as you are aware, and take their courses and eventually their examinations at the end of the year with the seventh years."

Minerva paused, making sure Regulus was still following her. "In other words, the students who were seventh years last year, or those who had not come last year, are able to repeat their courses without any negative repercussions on their school record. It is not required for students who have not completed their education here to come back to school to finish. I do know that the Ministry is offering jobs in numerous positions and departments regardless of whether or not someone has their NEWT levels, due to how short staffed they are. They needed to clean house, they desperately need people there. I do not expect every student to come back. However, I do believe that most will."

Regulus nodded again, it made sense with what he had already heard.

"Your classes, specifically your NEWT level class, should be quite large. We may have to find you another room to be able to fit in everyone comfortably. I've asked the architects if there is a solution, but have not heard back as of yet." The headmistress continued. "There are requirements which you must teach for each year. I have everything in a portfolio for you for when you leave here today. You'll need to set up your lesson plans, preferably prior to when the students get their book lists. The way in which you teach the class, be it theory or practical, is entirely up to you. I highly recommend a mixture of both."

Regulus scratched his chin in thought. "Of course."

Minerva frowned, lost in thought for a moment. "I am not sure how the students will be with the practical aspect of the course. The majority, if not every single one of them, had the unfortunate experience of having Amycus Carrow as their Dark Arts teacher. His sister, Alecto, was the mandatory Muggle Studies professor. She taught the students that muggles were scum, among other things. Amycus taught many students how to perform Dark Magic. He forced the older students to use Dark Magic on each other and on the younger students as punishment." She looked at Regulus with wide eyes. "It may do them good for you to slowly ease into the practical aspect of the course. They've been through hell. We couldn't protect them as well as we should have." She looked down at her desk, guilt evident in her posture.

"No one blames you, Headmistress. You guys did what you could, as best as you could at that time." Regulus responded. He hesitated. "I am, unfortunately, well aware of the kinds of people the Carrow siblings are. They would've killed you, or other teachers, or even students without hesitation. The only reason they didn't was because they were told they weren't allowed do that."

He watched as Minerva nodded in understanding.

"I know," she began. "I still feel the same though. I still feel like we could have done more than we did. I will probably always feel this way, to be honest with you."

Regulus nodded, understanding where she was coming from.

"Back to the task at hand," Minerva said to him. "We will figure out a room for you. I have asked the architects here now if it is at all possible to enlarge the current Defence room. You will have an office in the room, as well as a place for you to stay while you are teaching. You can come here one week before classes start to get everything set up how you'd like. It is entirely your responsibility." She looked at him over her glasses. "I ask that you send me your textbook list no later than the end of June. Flourish and Blotts needs time to order all the books before the students come rushing in to buy everything. Some textbooks take longer to get in stock than others, depending on popularity, how new they are, that sort of thing." She paused. "I will give you free reign for your choice of textbooks for each year. But I ask that they be appropriate for each year."

"Of course," Regulus said.

"Now," she began, folding the portfolio closed. "Your past may be an issue for some students, I'm not going to lie to you." She looked at him again over her glasses. "In regard to that, I highly recommend being as honest as you can be with the students. They will have questions about your past, with you being a Death Eater. With you having the dark mark on your arm, even though it is just a scar nowadays. They will still notice. They will question you without a doubt. I am sure that some students may even be afraid of you at first. Their experience with Death Eaters - apologies for lumping you in with them - is not a very good one. They've had Barty Crouch Jr. masquerading as Alastor Moody. They've had the Carrow siblings as professors here last year. They've also had Severus Snape as potions professor, defence professor, and as Headmaster at a time when his job was to prove to Voldemort that he was his man through and through. While Severus turned out to be on the good side in the end, he was not the greatest of teachers. He viciously bullied numerous students throughout his career here. Not once did Albus reprimand him for his actions."

She looked at him pointedly, frowning. "Bullying will not be tolerated here from anyone, student or teacher. There will be punishments if it is found students or professors are doing such a thing."

Regulus nodded. "Sounds like a good idea to me," he replied to her.

Minerva smiled at him. "I'm glad to hear it. We will have bi-weekly staff meetings here once classes start." She paused, and held her hand up in thought. "We will also have a staff meeting before the school year starts as well. I almost forgot." She shook her head at herself. "It'll be during the week before the students arrive. Think of it as a sort of meet-and-greet for all the staff here."

Regulus nodded. He frowned all of a sudden and looked at Minerva. "Who is your potions professor? Is Slughorn still going to teach? Do you know how he is doing?"

"Horace will be able to teach potions still. He actually requested that he still continued to do so. He has had his leg rebuilt from the curse that Voldemort threw out at him. But it is slow going apparently, he is currently in St. Mungo's still. He will need a cane to walk." Minerva answered.

Regulus nodded, the man was lucky to still be alive.

Minerva and Regulus continued their discussion well into the afternoon. Regulus listening closely as the Headmistress gave him pointers with different aspects of teaching.

It was just before dinner when Regulus left the castle, portfolio in hand. He apparated away once he reached the front gate, thinking of Grimmauld Place as he did so.

...

* * *

...

As Regulus entered into the old house he could hear hushed talking going on in the kitchen. He gently pushed open the door, not wanting to scare anyone. Sitting at the table were Draco and Luna munching on some food left out on the table by Kreacher.

"Hey, you two,” he said to them.

"Hello Regulus," Luna said to him, smiling. Regulus could see that the smile was strained. She was still having troubles. "I see Headmistress McGonagall offered you the position." She said to him, nodding toward the portfolio in his hand.

"Yes she did," Regulus said to them. "You're stuck with me I suppose." He grinned at them.

"That's not such a bad thing," Draco argued. Luna nodding in agreement.

"Is Hermione here?" Regulus asked, wanting to let his daughter know.

Both Draco and Luna shook their heads.

"She and Harry are spending the day with the Weasley Family," Luna replied. "They'll both be back after dinner they said."

Regulus smiled. "Okay, sounds good." He turned to leave the room, wanting to get to work on what he would be doing for the next year or so. He wandered up to the library and placed the portfolio on a desk in the room. He sat down, grabbed a piece of parchment and a quill from a drawer and opened the portfolio.

He had some work to do.


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The summer after Hermione's 6th year begins with her coming to the realization that she is not her parents' daughter. Follow Hermione as she comes to terms with who she is and where she comes from. The actions of good people are questioned, and people on the other side of the war are not as bad as they seem. Everyone has their secrets.

Regulus was pacing in Remus and Tonks' living room, shaking his head, muttering to himself. "I have no idea what I am doing." He said quietly to the occupants of the room, little Teddy was having a nap in his crib close by.

Remus smiled at him. "You'll be fine, Regulus," he assured him. "It's fine if you don't have everything entirely planned out yet. It's only the second week of June."

"It's not just that," Regulus argued. "I've never had a job before. What if I'm not cut out for it? What if I'm the worst teacher there?"

He stopped his pacing and looked to Remus. "What if I say something wrong and McGonagall fires me? I could lose my temper - I mean I am a Black, we're renowned for it. What if I do something awful? What then?"

Regulus watched as Remus rolled his eyes and Tonks snickered at him.

"You'll be fine, Regulus." Remus repeated to him. "I still have my outlines from when I taught. Did you want to have them?" He looked pointedly at Regulus, waiting for his response.

Regulus nodded to him. "Please." He begged, he could admit to himself.

Remus stood up from the old sofa. "Give me a minute. I need to find my stuff." He smiled to Regulus as he left the room.

"Have a seat," Tonks said to him as she gestured towards an aged chair facing the home's fireplace.

Regulus made his way over to the chair. As he sat down in it he could hear the chair give a squeak in protest.

"So...how's it been?" Tonks asked him after he settled into the chair. She was sipping a cup of tea. Bags under her eyes. Exhausted.

"Good," Regulus nodded to her as he answered. "It's been okay overall, I think."

Tonks nodded at him as she had another sip of tea. "How're the kids? Nightmares? Or are they alright?"

Regulus grimaced, hesitating. "Some are having nightmares for sure. Hermione and Luna without a doubt." He paused, thinking. "I haven't heard anyone else have any...but I do notice that the majority of the kids are dead to the world during breakfast. Like they haven't been sleeping, which is no surprise considering. Draco and Theo tend to go out drinking quite often...not every night, but multiple times a week for sure. They drink quite a bit when they do go out. They're feeling the effects the next day for sure." Regulus said to his cousin.

Tonks was nodding at him. She took another sip of tea. More of a guzzle, really. "That's probably their way to cope with everything that's gone on over the last few years. A way to forget. I know of a few Aurors who had that same coping technique at one point. They were eventually able to deal with the job a lot better. But they did need help to do it initially." She paused, thinking. "Do you know if McGonagall will have mind healers at the school?" She asked him. "We have them working in collaboration with the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. With the Aurors there."

Regulus frowned. "She had mentioned something when I met with her," he said to Tonks. "She didn't specifically say 'mind healers' but she did say she was in talks with some people. The Ministry and St. Mungo's if I remember correctly."

"Good," Tonks nodded to him. "I worry about those kids. All of them. The ones you have staying at Grimmauld, the ones who were at Hogwarts this past year. The muggleborns who went on the run. The muggleborns who were locked up in Azkaban. All of them." She paused. "This war has really fucked up a lot of people...a lot of families."

"Yeah. It has, hasn't it?" Regulus replied. He looked at his cousin, wondering how she was doing. "How are you and Remus doing? How's Andromeda?"

Tonks smiled. "Mum's alright. She's still sad that Dad's gone." She sniffed. "I am too. I'm sad." She gave him a small smile. "But, I do know that she is happy that her and Aunt Cissa are speaking again. That you're talking to her a bit, and inviting her to Grimmauld Place to have a visit." She paused, thinking to herself. "I do know mum tried to hide it, but I remember how lonely she'd get when I was younger. When I was still a kid. She really did miss the family. Some people in the family, I think. Not everyone, of course. But, not everyone was bad in the Black Family. At least not from what I heard from mum. Not everyone was a bad seed."

Regulus nodded in understanding.

"I'm trying to figure out a way to return people back to the tapestry who have been blasted off. Walburga always said it was permanent, but she liked to exaggerate quite a bit. I'm hoping this was one of those times she did so." He told her. "I think I have thousands of books to go through. I don't really know where to start. So it will take me quite a bit of time to even figure out if it can actually be done."

"That's kind of you to look into, Regulus. You know you don't have to do that. Mum doesn't need that. Just the communication is good enough for her." Tonks replied to him.

"I know. But, it's something that's important to me. It's something that I care about," said Regulus. He looked to Tonks. "You haven't said how you and Remus are doing. How are you?" He asked her, watching her reaction.

Tonks smiled and looked down at her lap. She took another gulp of tea and placed the empty mug on her coffee table. "I'm exhausted. I don't sleep great. I haven't in years. With Teddy it's just one more thing. I love him so much, don't get me wrong. But, the child barely sleeps throughout the night. And when he wakes up, it's not like he's curious and just lays there. No. He screams at the top of his lungs. Every. Single. Time." Tonks frowned to herself. "I keep thinking someone is hurting him. That someone is out to get him and he's screaming for help. But, no...he just wants to be fed, or changed out of his stinky nappy. Or he just wants cuddles." She softly laughed to herself.

"Remus is alright, I think. He's exhausted, too. Don't get me wrong. But, I think he's at a point in his life where he actually sees a future for himself. With me, sure. But mostly with Teddy. He'd do anything and everything for his son." Tonks told him.

Remus came back into the room, carrying a box full of parchment and some old books. "I'd do anything for you too, Dora." Remus quietly admonished her. He gave her a kiss on the top of her head. He turned to Regulus who was sitting in the old chair, smiling at the two. "Here are my notes and rough outlines for when I taught there." He extended his arms to Regulus. Offering up the box.

Regulus stood up. Taking the box from Remus. "Thank you, Remus. You're a lifesaver."

Remus chuckled. "It's really no problem." He smiled at Regulus.

Teddy began screaming in his crib nearby.

Regulus winced. "Well, it looks like it's my time to leave." He snickered at the pair. "If you two ever need anything. Let me know." He turned to the fireplace, shifted the box into one arm and grabbed a pinch of floo powder. "Grimmauld Place!" He called out. Disappearing in the green flames.

...

* * *

...

Hermione was sitting in the library in 'her chaise lounge', as Theo put it. She was reading _The Black Family History_ , the book Regulus had found for her in the Family Vault. It was a huge book, much to Hermione's glee. But it was difficult to read. Old English mixed with dark beliefs. The section of the book she was currently on was full of the political leanings of the different members of the family, starting from the Middle Ages. It also had pages of ideas or things that certain members of the family were able to carry out - passing laws, suggesting practices to the Ministry of Magic.

Regulus had wanted her to read it so she'd know about the history of the family. So she'd know what to expect if she decided to step in front of the Wizengamot to push through new laws. He had told her that the majority of the older families would probably be cautious of anything she suggested due to her being a Black. Due to the past political leanings of the family. She needed to know what she was up against. She needed to prepare.

Hermione looked up as Theo shuffled into the library clutching a mug of coffee, looking worse for wear. She had noticed that both Theo and Draco had, more often than not, gone out drinking late into the night. She had always heard as they stumbled through the hallway in the early hours of the morning. Struggling to get to their respective bedrooms. She had been wide awake, laying in her bed waiting for day to break.

"Hey Theo," Hermione said to him quietly. Folding her book closed. It was enough reading for today, especially since she had been reading about the need to pass laws to hunt muggles.

Theo grinned at Hermione, his smile not quite reaching his eyes. "Hey Hermione." He watched as she placed the massive book on the table beside her. "Good book?" He asked.

Hermione chuckled. "It's _The Black Family History_ , so no...it's not really to my taste."

Theo softly chuckled as he took a slurp of coffee. He sat down in another chaise lounge near her. "Yeah...I bet." He grimaced at the book. "We have a similar book, the Nott Family does. I had to read the thing before I started Hogwarts. Father's orders." He took another slurp of coffee.

Hermione blanched at him. "You had to read about laws to hunt muggles down before you started school? Before you were eleven?" She frowned. "You were just a kid."

"Pretty much. Yep," Theo confirmed. "The Family History books are different for each family, but the dark families tend to have wonderful stuff like that in them." He paused. "I had to start reading mine when I was eight."

"Theo...that's awful." Hermione frowned. She really had no idea what it was like for children of traditionally dark families. She realized she was incredibly sheltered from it all, even though she had fought on the frontlines in the Battle. She really had no idea what went on behind closed doors.

"It definitely fucks with your head when you read that stuff when you're just a scrawny, squeaky-voiced kid. I'll give you that." He toasted Hermione with his mug.

Hermione looked down at her lap. "I feel like I am incredibly naive of the goings on of Pureblood families. I think...I can see why I rubbed some people the wrong way when I first showed up at Hogwarts. I don't really know anything, do I?" She looked up at Theo. "Textbooks really aren't everything."

"Hermione...no." Theo frowned and placed his mug of coffee on the table beside him. "I didn't mean what I said to make you feel like that." He paused. "I love how you approach everything magical with so much enthusiasm. It's refreshing to see someone's wonder for something I knew about before I could remember. I've never known anything else, Hermione." He looked down at his hands in his lap. "Please don't think you don't know anything. You do. You know more, and understand more than most people, Pureblood or otherwise. All families have their secrets. Light or dark. All families have their stories. Their history." He looked up at her. "I tend to be nonchalant about it because it's sort of my way to deal with it." He rubbed the back of his neck. "It's probably not the best way, I know. But it's all I know."

Hermione hesitated. "Is that why you're drinking all the time?" She slapped her hand over her mouth. Eyes wide. "I'm sorry, Theo. That's none of my business. I'm sorry." She closed her eyes and shook her head at herself. Ashamed.

Theo gave her a soft laugh. "It's okay. You haven't offended me, Hermione." He paused. "The answer is 'no'. I'm binge drinking for another reason."

Hermione opened her eyes and peered at him.

Theo swallowed. "I basically killed my bastard of a father." He paused to watch her reaction. "I sent a bit of family magic at him, a spell that the Nott family invented, after he killed Tracey...Tracey Davis. It caused him to suffocate. It caused him to collapse on the ground, weak. It led to Bellatrix sending an _Avada_ at him. Even if she hadn't killed him then, my father would have died. There is no way to remove that spell from someone. There is no way to heal someone from that spell. Death is guaranteed." He continued to watch Hermione. "I've known about that spell since before I came to Hogwarts. I've been sitting on it since then. I've wanted to use it against my father, no one else, since then." He confessed.

"Why?" Hermione whispered. Afraid to speak any louder.

"I watched when I was a little boy as my father hurt my mother...repeatedly. I couldn't do magic yet. Not really. But I could read. I was reading anything I could get my hands on to try to help her. I wanted to protect my mother. I never got a chance to. She died when I was six." Theo replied.

Hermione cleared her throat. "How did she die?"

"Natural causes according to the healer my father paid off." Theo scoffed. "My mum was twenty six when she died. There was nothing natural about it, I can assure you."

"I'm so sorry Theo. I had no idea. I had no idea that you went through that." Hermione replied.

Theo shook her off. "I'm okay with her death now. I have memories of her. Of our time together. I've accepted it."

Hermione hesitated. Theo nodded at her, indicating to her to ask what she was thinking. "So you're binge drinking because you basically guaranteed the death of your father?" She asked him.

Theo shook his head. "No. I binge drink because I don't feel bad about it. I feel no remorse for my actions. And that fucking terrifies me." He looked at his coffee mug and picked it up. He took a sip, gathering his thoughts. "Does that make me like my father? Does that make me a monster like him?"

Regulus walked into the library, holding a box in his arms. Obviously he had been standing just outside the room for a while, listening. "Theodore, I can assure you that you are nothing like your father. I was with him in the Death Eaters. I worked next to him all too often. I knew the moment I met you, that you're nothing like him." Hermione and Theo turned to look at Regulus. "The fact that you're questioning it, and feeling terrified about it says it all. You're no monster."

Theo looked down at his hands. He gave slight nod. Unsure. "But...I don't feel bad about what I did." He peered up at Regulus. "I feel nothing."

"Sure you do." Regulus argued. "You just don't feel what you think you should feel considering he's your father. You do feel something, Theodore. What is it?"

There was silence as Theo thought about what Regulus said. "Relief." Theo croaked out finally. "I feel relief. And peace."

Regulus was nodding at him in understanding. "And there is nothing wrong with feeling that way."

Theo nodded at his answer. He hid his face in his hands.

Hermione watched as Theo's shoulders were shaking. No sound was coming out from him. But she knew he was crying.

She looked up at Regulus trying to figure out what to do. He motioned for her to sit next to Theo. To comfort him. He quickly walked to his desk in the library and dropped off the box he was carrying on it. He turned and left the library, leaving Hermione with Theo.

Hermione got up off of her chaise lounge and scurried over to where Theo was sitting. She sat down close to him and hesitantly put her hand on his shoulder.

"It's okay Theo." She tried comforting him. "You're going to be okay. Everything's going to be okay."

Theo turned into Hermione, face still hidden behind his hands. Hermione watched, still as a statue, as Theo slowly pulled his hands away from his face. He wrapped his arms around her, clinging to her tightly and burrowed his face into her hair and wept.


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The summer after Hermione's 6th year begins with her coming to the realization that she is not her parents' daughter. Follow Hermione as she comes to terms with who she is and where she comes from. The actions of good people are questioned, and people on the other side of the war are not as bad as they seem. Everyone has their secrets.

Hermione was once again sitting in her chaise lounge in the Black Family Library. It was a daily occurrence for her. She was uncomfortable leaving Grimmauld Place, unless she was visiting The Burrow, or some other non-public location. She was terrified of the attention she was getting from strangers in the street. She was starting to understand Harry's point of view. Harry's experience with the Wizarding world. She was turning into a hermit, she realized.

She scowled to herself. She didn't want to live this way. This wasn't healthy. She didn't want to live in fear.

She stood up from her chair. Placed the massive book back on the table beside her, and stepped out of the library, in search of her father.

She quietly walked through the ancient house, searching each and every room. Slowly working her way from the top of the house, where she started, to the bottom.

She spotted Regulus in the drawing room talking with Narcissa. She quietly knocked on the doorjamb, alerting the occupants of her presence and stepped into the room.

"Hermione," Regulus said to her in greeting as he smiled at her.

Hermione smiled back at him and Narcissa. "I need to get out of this place. I'm turning into a hermit, but I am uncomfortable going anywhere by myself. Can we go somewhere?" She asked the room.

Narcissa smiled at her. "It is around lunch time. Why don't you and Regulus go out for lunch?" She suggested to Hermione.

Regulus nodded. "Did you want to do that?" He asked Hermione.

"Yes," Hermione said. "I really think I would." She looked to Narcissa, hesitant. "Did you have plans for this afternoon, Narcissa? Did you want to come out for lunch with me and my father?"

Narcissa smiled at her. "I'd love to." She said excitedly. "But I think you should freshen up before we go." She looked at Hermione critically. "You have yet to wear the items we selected for you. You're still wearing your ill-fitting clothing."

Hermione stuttered, caught off guard by Narcissa's blatant truth. "B-But I haven't gone out anywhere really. I had nowhere to wear anything to." She frowned, scratching her elbow self-consciously.

Narcissa looked pointedly at her. "If you are still uncomfortable with some of the clothes, you need to wear them in private. You need to become more comfortable in them, Miss Black."

"But…they are very dressy for me." Hermione said. "I'm not really used to them."

Narcissa arched her eyebrow, not believing Hermione in the slightest. "You haven't even worn the muggle clothes that you insisted you buy. The jeans and blouses that you bought for casual wear." She paused. "You are still wearing your frumpy clothing."

"Narcissa," Regulus warned her.

"No Regulus." Narcissa looked at him pointedly. "The Heiress for the House of Black needs to get over her insecurities about her body. Her insecurities about herself as a woman. She needs to be confident about herself and her abilities or she will be eaten alive."

"I am confident about my magical abilities," Hermione argued weakly.

She focused on Hermione, who was looking at her feet feeling humiliated. "Then you sure have a strange way of showing it. I mean no disrespect. Truly, Miss Black. But I can assure you that what I've just said is mild to what the public will be saying about you if you go out dressed like you are. You look weak. You look insecure. You look a mess. You look like you are out of your depth with everything that has been going on with you."

"I am out of my depth," Hermione quietly argued, her eyes starting to tear up.

"Of course you are. Anyone in your position would be," Narcissa agreed. "But not everyone needs to know that. You need to be able to fake it for the time being."

"I don't want to offend anyone. I don't want to make a mistake and offend anyone." Hermione argued, continuing to look at her feet.

"Hermione," Regulus quietly said. "You're not going to offend anyone. And if you do…who cares? That's their problem." He paused, watching Hermione closely. "Where is this coming from?" He asked her as she looked up at him. "Has someone said something to you? Has someone said that you've offended them? Someone here?"

Hermione shook her head. "No," She said quietly. "No one here."

"Someone somewhere else?" Regulus was probing.

Hermione remained silent.

"Who?" Regulus questioned her, frowning.

Hermione opened her mouth and hesitated. "I don't want to get anyone in trouble. I don't want to cause any trouble for anyone. I don't want you to get angry." She pleaded to her father.

"I won't get angry, Hermione." Regulus assured her. "What have they said to you?"

"They haven't said anything directly to me. But…I heard a couple of people talking, that pureblood culture will find me offensive because of how I was raised and how I look." She touched her huge mane of hair as an example. "I heard them say that I would likely be changed to fit the pureblood mold. They said that they hoped my change wouldn't be too drastic. That they hoped that I'd still be recognizable as Hermione." She paused and took a breath shaking her head. "But that it was unlikely, because I'm a Black now. They said that I would probably be muted. That my education would be a waste of time. That I would be molded into the 'perfect pureblood wife'. One without an opinion on anything that mattered." She finished in a whisper.

Narcissa was standing there with her lips pursed in annoyance. Regulus was trying not to explode in anger.

"Who said this about you, Hermione" He asked her.

Hermione hesitated. "When I went to The Burrow the other day. I heard Mrs. Weasley and Ron talking in the kitchen. I had been hanging out with Ginny in her room…having girl time…we hadn't done that in a while. We wanted to catch up. I had wanted a glass of pumpkin juice, so I walked down to the kitchen and heard them talking behind the closed door." She paused. "Harry had run to the toilet before he and Ron went out for a fly around on the brooms. They didn't know I was there - Ron and Mrs. Weasley."

Regulus was frowning, he crossed his arms. "Mrs. Weasley has her reasons for not liking the Black Family. Her biases are evident, and have been evident ever since she met Sirius. She treated him like trash because he was a Black. There is some history between the Prewett and Black Family from years and years ago that she can't seem to get over." He paused. "How would you say Mr. Weasley has been treating you since he found out you were a Black?" He asked her. "You mentioned at my place, to both Remus and myself that you thought Ron would explode when he found out. That he wouldn't take it well. Has he treated you any differently since then?" He questioned her.

"Not really. Not drastically different." Hermione answered. "He has always teased me about me liking school. About me taking my education seriously. He is now questioning why I am even bothering with my education. That I didn't need to continue because I am a Black. That I had enough money to do anything I wanted for the rest of my life, and me finishing school is a waste of time." Hermione shrugged. "He's always been insecure about not having any money. It's nothing new," she finished quietly.

"And he's ridiculed you about your house elf organization." Regulus added. "Theodore told me the other day that Harry ripped him a new one the day you three tried to go for lunch at The Leaky Cauldron. After I had left to talk with you in your room." He paused, hesitating. "When did you and he become friends, Hermione?" He questioned her.

Hermione blinked. "He was Harry's friend first, in first year." She hesitated. "If Harry wasn't both of our friends, I probably wouldn't have anything to do with him. I mean…we've grown as friends. He is my friend. We've been through a lot together. Every year at Hogwarts." She backpedaled. "He's my friend. He's one of my best friends. That doesn't just end because of my last name." She insisted to them. "I used to have a bit of a crush on him up until sixth year." She blushed, figuring she may as well lay everything out for them. "I mean…I don't want to date him…I used to. But, I know now that we wouldn't work as a couple." She finished quietly.

"What changed your mind?" Narcissa questioned her, eyebrow raised in intrigue.

Hermione grimaced. "Him sucking face with Lavender Brown anywhere and everywhere in sixth year. I thought it was tasteless." She shuddered in memory. "He was jealous that both Harry and I got invited to Slughorn's stupid party and he didn't. I was going to ask him if he wanted to go with me to it. He had started playing quidditch that year on the Gryffindor team. He was getting attention from Lavender because of it. He liked the attention. He liked how she threw herself at him." She snorted at the memory. "I invited Cormac McLaggen instead, to piss Ron off…to get him to notice me. The guy wouldn't leave me alone, and I figured 'why not?'" She shuddered again at the mistake she made.

Regulus was watching her closely. A memory clicked into place. "What did he do to you, Hermione? Cormac? What did he do?" He asked her quietly. "He called you a 'frigid bitch' in the Battle before you…finished him."

Hermione shook her head. "Not what you're thinking." She told him pointedly. "I did nothing with him, I refused to. That's why he called me that. He got a bit handsy with me during the party. And I kept shrugging him off. He kept trying to peer down my dress, thinking I hadn't noticed him doing so. On the way back to the common room he pushed me up against the wall. He tried snogging me. He tried to put his hand up my dress and I hexed him into oblivion and left him there in the hallway and walked myself back to the common room. He had to get help and go to Madam Pomfrey to get fixed." She frowned. "I didn't know he had a reputation for stuff like that. No one had told me."

Regulus was watching her with tightly controlled anger, she could tell. She watched as he clenched his jaw. She swallowed nervously. Regulus noting her nervousness, closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He exhaled slowly and re-opened them. Calm. He nodded at her. "Good job," he approved of her actions against McLaggen.

"Good riddance, is what I like to say to people like that." Narcissa said kindly to her, smiling. Starting to understand why Hermione was self-conscious of herself. "How about I help you pick something out to wear for lunch and we can meet Regulus downstairs in thirty minutes?" She asked Hermione. "We can have a sort of 'practice run' for you as Hermione Black in a public place. In a nice public place mind you. I don't do The Leaky Cauldron." She looked at Regulus pointedly. "Just so you know."

He chuckled in response, eyes crinkling. "Does that sound okay, Hermione?" He asked checking in with his daughter.

Hermione nodded. "I'd like that."

...

* * *

...

Thirty minutes later, Hermione was in her pencil skirt from Twilfitt & Tatting's and a sleeveless button up blouse from a muggle store. She had on a pair of strappy heels that she had never worn before, but bought them because she liked how they looked. Narcissa was completing the finishing touches on her hair, leaving her curls, but pulling it back slightly, away from her face. Hermione had added a touch of mascara and some lip gloss on her lips completing the look.

"See," Narcissa said to her. "You still look like you. Just polished up a bit."

Hermione nodded. She could see what she was saying. "Thank you." She looked to Narcissa.

Narcissa smiled at her. "It's no trouble, dear." She turned towards the doorway. "Let's see where Regulus takes us for lunch. I'm famished."

Hermione snickered and followed her out the door.

Hermione slowly clambered down the stairs on her heels, grasping the railing tightly as she did so.

"In the future I may teach you how to walk in heels." Narcissa said to her without looking back as she glided down the stairs.

"Please," Hermione begged. "I'm afraid I'm going to break my neck." Her foot gave a bit of wobble. "Or my ankle," she said.

Regulus chuckled at the bottom of the stairs. He was wearing charcoal coloured dress pants and a tucked in, dark blue button up dress shirt. Muggle, Hermione realized. The sleeves were rolled up to his elbows. Giving him a more casual, relaxed look. He held out his hand to Hermione as she walked closer to him. She reached for his hand in relief. Maybe he'd catch her if she fell. She snickered to herself. She was hopeless in these shoes.

"You're going to show off your scars?" Narcissa asked him, looking at his left forearm where his Dark Mark scar was still red and raw. Everyone would know he had been a Death Eater in the past. There was no mistaking the scar for what it was.

"Yep," he said to her, as he tucked Hermione's hand in his elbow. "I have nothing to hide." He looked down to Hermione, smiling. "You look beautiful, Hermione."

He and the women walked out of the house, pausing as they stood on the steps. Regulus looking around for anyone watching them. Narcissa clasped his other arm. They disapparated with a faint crack.

...

* * *

...

The trio reappeared in Diagon Alley near Gringotts. Narcissa released her hold on Regulus' elbow and walked next to him and Hermione.

Hermione continued hanging onto Regulus' arm, focusing on her steps. She knew he was walking slowly for her as they meandered along the cobblestone street.

They eventually reached a small restaurant tucked into a corner of Diagon Alley. Hermione peered up at the sign above the door, _Andre's_ was all the sign said. Regulus held the door open for both Narcissa and Hermione to enter before him. Hermione spotted the Reservations Required sign as she stepped through the door. She swallowed nervously. She had never been to a place like this before…her muggle mum and dad rarely went out for a meal, preferring to spend time at home together after a long day at work.

"Ah, the Black reservation," the young maître d' greeted them, smiling. "Welcome to Andre's." He said to the trio, his eyes not leaving Hermione. "Right this way." He turned and led them through the restaurant towards the back of the place.

Hermione was clutching Regulus' arm tightly as he maneuvered her through the tiny restaurant. The patrons of the place were watching as they walked through the place, Hermione could tell. She felt eyes on her back.

"Relax," Regulus muttered quietly to her. "They're noticing me and Narcissa more than you, Hermione. I reserved us a table near the back. They won't bother us there."

"I feel like I'm wearing too much muggle stuff," Hermione muttered back to him as they squeezed by a table with a couple dressed in full wizard and witch's garb. "They could kick me out for not looking the part," she joked quietly to him.

Regulus chuckled softly. "Nonsense. You're a Black, Hermione. They won't touch you," he whispered in her ear.

They reached their own table tucked in a corner near the back of the restaurant. They could watch each and every person enter and exit the establishment, but no one could see them without being obvious about it.

The maître d' pulled Narcissa's chair out for her as she sat down, Regulus did the same for Hermione.

Hermione carefully sat in her chair. "Thank you," she said to Regulus.

He smiled at her. "Of course." He sat down in his chair.

"May I interest you in a bottle of one of our goblin-made wines?" The maître d' asked Hermione once she was seated. She frowned, unsure what she was supposed to say.

"Please," Narcissa said to him. "Red if you have it." Drawing his attention to her instead.

"Of course, Lady Malfoy," he said to her. He quickly left the table and headed through the doorway to the kitchen.

Hermione peered at the menu. It was entirely in French. She frowned, she hadn't read or spoken French in years. Not since muggle school.

"Can you read French, Hermione?" Narcissa kindly asked her. She was watching as Hermione's brows furrowed in concentration.

"I haven't looked at it since muggle school," Hermione replied. "It's been a while, for sure."

"They teach you French at muggle school?" Narcissa asked her excitedly.

"Yes," Hermione smiled at her. "It's usually an option when you get older. At least at the school I was at it was like that. But my parents – my muggle parents, I mean – wanted me to learn when I was younger, so I had a tutor. It's easier to learn another language at a younger age apparently."

"That's wonderful," Narcissa said to her. "I had no idea."

The maître d' arrived with their bottle of red wine. He made a show of opening the bottle, watching Hermione as he did so. Hermione raised an eyebrow at Regulus. This was way beyond anything she had ever experienced. She watched as he bit his lip to prevent himself from laughing at her expression.

Narcissa was poured a small sample of wine first. She took a taste and nodded to him, approving of his choice. The maître d' poured everyone a glass.

"May I order for you, Hermione?" Regulus quietly asked her.

"Please," Hermione said to him.

Regulus gave her a miniscule nod of his head, smiling at her. His facial expression quickly changed as he looked to the maître d' with an eyebrow raised, looking cold and intimidating. "Can we have moment before we order?" he asked the man.

The maître d' looked at him with a surprised expression. "Of course, sir." He left the trio's table.

Hermione was watching Regulus with a confused expression. He leaned closer to her, turning his menu so she could read it with him. Narcissa was paying attention to Regulus. "He's trying to impress us. That's why he's doing all the fluff that you see." He quietly said to Hermione.

"Why?" Hermione questioned him.

"Because he wants to be noticed by the House of Black." Narcissa answered her.

"Why?" Hermione asked again.

"Because he's trying to impress me." Regulus answered her this time, grinning.

"Why?" Hermione was confused. _What had she missed_?

"He wants to court you, Hermione." Narcissa answered her. "He's attempting to show Regulus that he has class. That he's classy enough for you. For the House of Black. He's trying to do it subtly, but is failing." She took a sip of her wine. "That's why he poured my glass of wine first. Why he offered me to taste it first. He's trying to be cautious, but he really doesn't know the protocol." She looked at Hermione with twinkling eyes. "He's supposed to offer it to Regulus first as the Head of the Black Family. He's considered to be higher standing than myself as the Head of the House of Black. That, and I am a Malfoy now. The Malfoy's married up into the Black Family. Not the other way around."

Hermione frowned. "But you were a Black. Why does it matter what your last name is now? Shouldn't we all be the same standing or whatever?" She questioned them, trying to wrap her head around it all.

Regulus shook his head. "No. I'm a "true" Black, is what some would say. My mother and father were both Blacks. Cousins who married each other." Hermione wrinkled her nose in disgust at the obvious inbreeding. Regulus chuckled at her reaction. "The direct line, if you will. Narcissa on the other hand has only one parent who is a Black. She's not considered to be "direct line", her blonde hair illustrates that. That's not a Black characteristic." He paused. "That and she's a woman. That's mostly what people focus on today in the Wizarding world."

Hermione scowled. "What does that have to do with anything?" she whispered furiously, aware of where she was.

Regulus held up his hands, placating her. "It means that the Wizarding world is a patriarchal and somewhat misogynistic society which views women as lesser than men." He looked at her smiling. "A load of shit if you ask me. But most people view women – girls – as weaker, as less desirable as a Head of House. That's why it is rarely, if ever done."

"It's why my parents had three children." Narcissa said to her. "They were trying for boys to carry the name. Most pureblood families only have one or two children if they are males. The heir and the spare at most."

Hermione frowned again, returning to the issue at hand. "I don't want to court anyone. I don't want anyone to court me. I think the practice is archaic." She shuddered.

"I won't force you to do anything, Hermione." Regulus promised her. "You can date whomever you choose to, without the expectation of having to get married." He squeezed her hand in reassurance.

Hermione nodded. "Thank you."

"Just don't accept gifts from men you don't know. Men you don't have a friendship with. Pureblood men especially. It is old tradition to present a witch of their choosing with a gift to begin the courting process." Narcissa informed her. "They know better. They will know you are new to this and will try to use it to their advantage to marry into the family. To gain a better political and social standing for themselves, now that you are not only a Black, but are also considered to be the Brightest Witch of Her Age. You've definitely made a name for yourself, you and Mr. Potter, and Mr. Weasley – any family would gain clout if they married one of you three."

Hermione nodded at her, indicating she was following along. "We didn't do everything though…we had help." She looked to Regulus.

He smiled gently at her. "It's easier to identify few who have saved the Wizarding world, that is Harry, Ron and yourself, than it is to draw attention to everyone who did their part. Harry will always have that attention – whether he wants it or not. He's had it since he was fifteen months old. It's not going away anytime soon."

Hermione understood what he was saying. People were going to hold them all up on a pedestal, whether they wanted it or not. Harry more than the rest of them.

"Now, the meal." Regulus said, changing the topic and peering at the menu in his hands. "Are you okay with lamb, Hermione?" He asked her.

"Yes, I think so." Hermione replied, nodding.

He pointed out a dish for her and explained what it was.

"That sounds delicious." Hermione said to him.

Regulus smiled. "Good. It'll go well with your wine."

"I think I'll go the same thing." Narcissa said to the two. "It does sound delicious."

Regulus signaled to the maître d' that they were ready to order.

...

* * *

...

The trio eventually returned to Grimmauld Place after they had slowly finished their lunch.

Regulus and Narcissa had gave her hints and advice on how to behave. Adjusting her posture in her chair, how she held her wine glass. They had said that they majority of the time it wouldn't matter. But if the time came where she was at a public convention, or if she were to be having dinner with special guests, it would do well to know it. She would draw respect from whomever she was with. She would also illustrate to the more pureblood elitist families that her blood didn't matter. She could hold her own with the best of them.

The three of them stepped into the kitchen, and stopped as they spotted Draco, Theo, Luna, Harry and Ron sitting at the table. Draco was holding a letter.

"Mother," Draco said to Narcissa as she entered the room. "Where have you been?" he questioned her, frowning.

Narcissa waved him off. "We went out for lunch, Draco. Regulus and I walked Hermione through some things that she will need to expect and be comfortable with in the future." She paused, noticing the letter in her son's hand. "What is that you're holding?"

"The Ministry sent notice," Draco began. He looked once again at the letter. "Father's trial begins the first week of July."


	21. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The summer after Hermione's 6th year begins with her coming to the realization that she is not her parents' daughter. Follow Hermione as she comes to terms with who she is and where she comes from. The actions of good people are questioned, and people on the other side of the war are not as bad as they seem. Everyone has their secrets.

The first week of July saw both Draco and Narcissa visiting the Wizengamot everyday as the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and the Ministry proceeded through Lucius Malfoy's trial. It was now the last day of his trial. The closing arguments had been said. The Wizengamot had to decide what to do with the Death Eater. Regulus and Hermione were waiting quietly in the Library of Grimmauld Place. Harry and Theo were with them. Luna had gone back home with her father, who had been released from St. Mungo's care the day prior.

"What do you think will happen?" Harry asked the room, breaking the silence.

Theo shrugged. "He was a Death Eater…he can't deny that. He did support the Dark…V-Voldemort pretty much up until he was sent to Azkaban the first time…at the end of our fifth year." He looked up from his book at Harry. "Draco wants him to go to Azkaban to rot. He blames his father for a lot of what he and his mother went through."

Regulus hummed. "Narcissa feels the same way as Draco." He told the room quietly. "They had the opportunity to run, and probably would have succeeded, but Lucius refused, forcing the Malfoy Family to stay where they were. Narcissa blames him entirely for Draco being marked the summer before his sixth year." He hesitated. "Narcissa put up with a lot as well. She had never been marked. Having Voldemort living in the Malfoy home brought a lot of attention to her. His more ardent supporters found it insulting that she wouldn't take the dark mark. They found ways to take it out on her. Verbally…or otherwise." He finished quietly, frowning.

Hermione was quiet in thought. "If she was getting harassed by his supporters, by his followers…what happened to her when she let us all go that day at Malfoy Manor?" She questioned the room, looking at Regulus carefully. "Did she have to pay for that? For us escaping or whatever she told them?"

Regulus hesitated. He gave her a subtle nod. "Yeah. Yeah she did." He frowned again. "Remember when I told you I needed to communicate with her over the mirror to get Rabastan's hair to break into the Lestrange Family Vault?" He questioned her.

Hermione nodded slowly. "Of course I remember…what happened to her?" She was looking at him with huge, worried eyes.

"She had bruises on her body when I saw her through the mirror that first time afterwards." He quietly said to her.

"Where?" Harry asked him. "Where were the bruises?" He was slowly putting together what Regulus was trying not to say to the room.

"Her neck." Regulus said quietly. "Her neck was bruised, her lip was swollen and cracked. And she had a swollen, black eye. Like she had been beaten by someone."

"No." Theo said quietly to himself. He looked up at Hermione, frowning. He turned to Regulus. "Hand prints around her neck? Like she had been choked?" He asked him, already knowing the answer.

Regulus nodded, looking at Theo carefully.

"What a fucking bastard," Theo said to the room.

Hermione gasped, bringing her hand to her mouth, understanding what Theo and Regulus weren't saying to the rest of them.

"Who's the fucking bastard?" Harry asked Theo and Hermione. Looking between the pair of him.

"My father." Theo ground out. "He did the same thing to my mother. That's how he killed her. He fucking choked her to death."

Regulus cleared his throat. "He was known for doing that to women, young women when I was a Death Eater with him, back in the day. He had a reputation for being…rough with women."

"For being an 'abusive fuck' is what you're looking for, Regulus," Theo said to him crassly. "No point in sugar coating it. He's dead, he won't take any offense to it anymore."

"What did Lucius do?" Harry asked the room, disgusted by what Narcissa had been through because of letting them go. "Did he protect her? Did he try?"

Theo snorted. "He fucking hid, Harry. The only thing that man cares about is protecting his own skin. He's not brave like you Gryffindors. He fucking hid in the manor somewhere as his wife was beaten…and who knows what else by his comrades. Draco helped her. He tried to at least. He tried to help his mum. Protect his mum."

Hermione frowned. "Why was Narcissa worried about where they would take him before his trial then?" She asked Regulus. "At Hogwarts, after the Battle, she wanted to make sure Lucius was safe from the other Death Eaters in Azkaban awaiting trial. Why would she care about that?"

Regulus looked away from Theo and peered over at her. "A few reasons," he began. "Firstly, she doesn't want him to get killed because of her actions. When Harry jumped up alive after she told Voldemort and the Death Eaters that he was dead, she put Lucius' – and her and Draco's - life at risk. Secondly, she's a Black…she is very…" he hesitated, looking for the right word. "Unforgiving. Lucius getting killed right as he got sent to Azkaban to await his trial, is kind of the easy way out. Not saying she wants him to suffer…but she certainly wants him to pay for his mistakes. To pay for his actions that he's taken. He has hurt his family a lot. He has put them through a lot. Lucius loves power. The Malfoy Family loves power – they did historically, at least. His greed, his need to have more power hurt them. She figures him having her, a Black, should have been enough power. But he wanted more."

Regulus paused again, thinking. "Thirdly, Narcissa cares a lot about appearances, Hermione. You've seen this. The designer clothes, high heels that you could barely walk in, where we went for lunch that one day. How and where she picked out your new outfits. Appearance is everything to her. Her not sticking by Lucius' side – in public at least – looks bad in her eyes. It's why she and Draco have been at his trial every single day. To look like the perfect family. Behind closed doors is another matter entirely. They've barely spoken to each other in the last few years. Draco is her everything. Lucius is her spouse – her arranged marriage. There is no love lost there between them."

Hermione frowned. "That's actually really sad," she said softly to the room.

Regulus smiled sadly at her. "It's tradition, Hermione."

Theo spoke up. "Most traditional Pureblood marriages are entirely arranged, Hermione. It's seen as a business opportunity. A political move, that sort of thing. It's all most traditional Purebloods know."

Harry frowned. "Does that mean Draco has an arranged marriage waiting for him?"

Regulus nodded. "Yeah…I'm trying to talk Narcissa out of it. Lucius arranged it with the Parkinson Family when Draco was first born. She is seeing that it may be a good thing to get rid of. But who knows." He shrugged a little to himself.

Theo snorted, chuckling. "Draco is not Pansy's type. I can assure you."

"But didn't they go to the Yule Ball in fourth year together? Didn't they date, or court or whatever, after that? Up until, what…fifth or sixth year?" Hermione asked the room.

"Yep." Theo said with a pop. "It was what was expected of them. They broke up middle of sixth year."

"Why?" Harry questioned.

"Pansy wasn't attracted to Draco, she realised." Theo said. "She tried "dating" other guys." He used air quotations, trying to sugar coat what he was trying to say. "Me for a bit. She wasn't attracted to me either." Theo looked at Hermione, pointedly. Trying to give her a hint. "She likes women, Hermione."

Hermione's eyes grew.

"She figured out she was attracted to women and not to guys, the middle of her sixth year." Theo paused, frowning. "She had dated Tracey Davis for a bit, in secret. No one knew accept me, Draco, Blaise and Pansy and Tracey." He looked at the occupants of the room carefully. "Don't tell anyone else, alright? No one else knows. Not her parents. Not anyone else. I really shouldn't have said anything about it. It wasn't my place to say anything."

Hermione frowned. "But she's been dealing with Tracey's death all by herself. That's awful."

"No," Theo began. "She is with Blaise, me and Draco quite a bit. She isn't alone in her grief, Hermione. That's where we are most of the time when we aren't here. We are with her." He paused. "They weren't even dating anymore when Tracey was killed. They'd broken up at the start of seventh year. They were better off as friends they figured."

"Is homosexuality a common thing in the magical world?" Hermione asked Regulus and Theo. "Is it considered to be deviant or wrong? I know it can be viewed that way in muggle society by some people."

"It's probably about the same." Regulus said to her. "Some families are non-supporting. Others are." He shrugged. "It just depends."

Theo nodded in agreement. "Marriage is seen as a way to produce Heirs. You can't produce Heirs if you're with someone of the same sex as you, can you?"

The occupants heard the front door open and close. Steps coming up the stairs of the house towards them.

Regulus had a hand on his wand, waiting. Watching the door.

Draco and Narcissa popped into the room and spotted them all sitting around in a circle.

"Eight years." Draco said to the room as he plopped down on a chair by the group.

"He didn't get a life sentence?" Regulus said surprised. "They're still trying to protect him from the Death Eaters locked up. What did they convict him of?" Regulus asked Narcissa, watching as she settled gently into another seat.

"Conspiracy. Coercion. Knowingly colluding with known lawbreakers – from him providing…Him…with a place to stay. Him and some of the Death Eaters who had nowhere to live. Bribery. Forcing his son into taking the Dark Mark. Knowingly housing dark artifacts for malicious purposes." She paused taking a breath. "They went easy on him because he hadn't a wand for the last year or so. They could have sent him there for life. But he apparently gave them a lot of information on suspected supporters. Financiers and sympathizers to the cause that weren't necessarily marked. They had no evidence that Lucius committed murder. His wand was destroyed by…Him." She said. "They've taken a lot out of the Manor as evidence."

Narcissa looked to Draco, lovingly. "They've stripped Lucius from having say over the Malfoy Family. Stripped him of his Head privileges. It's all Draco's now. For whenever he's ready."

"They can do that?" Theo asked the room. "They can strip someone of their Head of House powers. Their influence?"

"Apparently so," Narcissa replied. "It is an ancient law that has rarely, if ever, been enforced. If the Head of House is viewed as being detrimental to the survival of his house, his family, the Ministry has the right to assign someone else in the family the position." She looked to Theo. "I am sure it was created with the intention to further propagate pureblood ideals, but it never actually specified that. Minister Shacklebolt and the Wizengamot used it to their advantage."

"Good for them," Regulus said quietly to her and Draco. Narcissa nodded in agreement.

"We will be able to go back to Malfoy Manor now that everything is done with Lucius. They've gotten all the evidence they need for the other Death Eaters still awaiting trials." She said to him.

Regulus nodded. "You are more than welcome to stay here for as long as you wish to. I'm not going to kick you out, Narcissa."

She gave him a smile. "I know that." She paused. "We can't stay here forever though. We need to get our affairs sorted. Before Draco heads back to Hogwarts to get his NEWT levels." She looked at Draco deliberately.

"Yes mother," Draco said quietly to the room, rolling his eyes.

Regulus chuckled.

"Did you want to come with us, Theodore?" Narcissa asked him. "When we do eventually leave here in the next few days."

Theo hesitated, looking at Regulus. "Can I stay here?" He asked him. He took a quick peek at Hermione, before focusing his eyes on Regulus. Trying to look innocent.

Regulus smirked at him, knowing why he wanted to stay behind. "That's fine, Theodore." He grinned. "You can stay here for as long as you want. Well…until classes start again at least." He paused. "I don't want to be here any longer than I need to be with everyone here. I like my home better than this place and will be moving back there once everyone has left."

"But won't you be living at Hogwarts when you're teaching?" Hermione asked him, clueless about the subtle exchange between Theo and Regulus.

"Yes." Regulus said to her. "I meant afterwards, Hermione. I'm not spending Winter Break here. Or the next summer when I'm not teaching. This place has too much history for me."

Regulus turned to look at Harry. "Have you given more thought about Godric's Hollow?" He asked him.

"Yeah," Harry replied. "I think I'll figure out a way to fix it up and move in once I'm done schooling. I don't mind rooming at The Burrow after I'm done Hogwarts for a bit."

Hermione frowned. "But what will happen here?" she questioned Regulus.

He shrugged. "I'll fix this place up, too." He told her. "It needs to be brought into the current century at least." He chuckled. "It's a bit dark for my tastes. The severed elf heads aren't really my thing."

Draco chuckled loudly. "Fuck man. Those things give me nightmares." He rubbed his face and shivered. "What are you going to do Theo when you're done your NEWTs, where are you going to go?"

Theo grimaced. "I'll need to hire some curse breakers to go through Nott Manor. Father liked his traps for non-Nott people. His paranoia was second to the Black Family." He looked to Regulus. "No offence, Regulus."

Regulus snorted. "None taken."

The group continued talking with each other throughout the afternoon about their long-term plans for themselves. They made their way downstairs toward the kitchen for a spot of dinner, when they heard a loud crash come from within the room.

Regulus reached for his wand in his pocket and barrelled through the doorway ahead of everyone else.

Hermione stepped into the room not far behind him and spotted Regulus kneeling on the floor trying to console Kreacher who was apologizing profusely to him. A pot had tipped onto the floor from the stove, spilling most of its contents all over the floor.

Hermione quickly cleaned the food off of the floor and reset the pot on the stove. She peered into the pot, spotting the stew that had not been spilled.

Harry peered into the pot standing next to her. "I can cook stew." He said to Hermione. "I have no idea how to do it the magical way, with all those tricks that Mrs. Weasley has. But I do know how to do it the muggle way." He pointed to the left over stew in the pot. "I can work with this, Hermione." He said to her quietly.

Hermione nodded to him. "I think he's too old. He can't do all this anymore, Harry." She was watching Kreacher as he was grasping Regulus shirt.

"Kreacher," Regulus was speaking softly to him. "I'm not going to behead you. You just dropped the pot. It's not a big deal, alright?"

"Kreacher is tired, Master Regulus. Kreacher is getting weaker. Older," the elf gasped quietly to his master. "Kreacher's magic isn't strong all the time anymore."

Regulus nodded at his elf. He hesitated. "Kreacher…what if I got another elf to help you out here?" He looked at his elf, questioningly. "I have an elf at the house I was staying at…after the cave. She would love to help you out here, Kreacher. You wouldn't have to do everything. Just when your magic is strong enough. How does that sound to you?" Regulus asked.

The old elf looked down at the floor. "If that is what Master Regulus thinks is best."

"How about I get Susan to come here tomorrow morning, Kreacher?" Regulus asked his elf. "You both can work out a plan for who does what. You don't have to do everything. You both can share duties."

The old elf nodded. "Kreacher finds that acceptable Master Regulus."

Regulus smiled at Kreacher. "Good." He said. "Now…I insist that you take the rest of the night off. Harry and Hermione will cook us dinner and we can clean up after ourselves when we are done."

Kreacher hesitated, about to argue with Regulus.

"That's an order, Kreacher." Regulus said to him forcefully, but smiling. "Take the night off."

Kreacher nodded to him and headed towards his cupboard for some rest.

"Dinner will be delayed a bit, everyone." Harry said to the group of people in the kitchen who had been watching the proceedings. "Give me about an hour or so."

"I'll make some tea while we wait," Hermione said to the room.

Harry got to work chopping vegetables the muggle way. Regulus watching him closely.

"Does this bring back memories?" Regulus asked Harry, thinking of what he had told him about the Dursley's.

Harry snorted as he added chopped potatoes to the pot. "I actually kind of like everyone here. So this is far different from what I'm used to."

Regulus gave a huff of laughter. "Did you need me to help with anything?"

Harry hummed. "I don't know any household spells…is there a way to speed this up? Or will it take time to cook?" He looked to Regulus as he grabbed some carrots to chop up. "I don't mind preparing everything, but stew generally needs to simmer for a while. To gain flavour and tenderise, so I've learned over the years."

Regulus nodded. "I know of a couple that should work once you're ready."

Harry nodded as he added the carrots to the pot on the stove.

Thirty minutes later the groups was tucking into their dinner.

"This is delicious, Mr. Potter." Narcissa said to him as she took a bite of her stew. "Did your family teach you how to do this?" She asked him, curious about the answer.

Harry gave her a small smile and a nod. "Uh…yeah. My aunt and uncle had me cook quite often for them and my cousin, Dudley."

Theo snorted. "They named their kid Dudley?" He looked at Harry. "Is that a normal muggle name? It sounds strange to me."

Harry smiled. "He got his friends, his gang, to call him Big D."

Draco burst out laughing.

"Draco," Narcissa hissed at him. "You're being rude."

Draco snickered to himself as he helped himself to some more stew.

"Is it normal for muggle families to cook for themselves, Harry?" Narcissa asked him, smiling politely. "Did you do it all together as a family?" She peered over to him, waiting for him to respond.

Harry rubbed his neck, self-conscious. "Um…no. I did it all. Up until I left for Hogwarts, at least. I did it in the summer break quite often as well, when I was back there."

Regulus was watching as Narcissa and Hermione frowned.

"You were eleven when you left for Hogwarts, Harry." Hermione said to him. "How long had you been cooking for your aunt and uncle and cousin?"

Harry paused. "Since I was four." He looked down. "I've been cooking since I was four, Hermione." He took a bite of stew. Watching as Hermione was looking at him with huge eyes. "It is fine, Hermione. It's done."

Narcissa was looking at Regulus as he gave a miniscule nod of his head. "Well," she said quietly to the table. "Thank you, Harry for this lovely meal."

Harry smiled. "It's no problem, I'm happy to help out."

...

* * *

...

"How is your reading coming along, Hermione?" A voice called out to Hermione as she was focusing on her book.

She looked up from the Black history book peering at Regulus. "It's alright." She frowned. "It's quite dark. Some of the stuff in here."

Regulus nodded in agreement. "You don't have to push yourself to read the whole thing right away, Hermione." He paused. "It's one of those things that could take years. It did for me."

"I know…I just feel like a have a lot to catch up on." Hermione said to him. "I feel like I am behind everyone who has these things to read. I really don't like falling behind. I don't like not knowing something."

Regulus closed the door to the library.

"I can teach you some things. Give you some history if you want." He frowned at himself. "I should have been doing this earlier. I shouldn't just have you reading this thing." He nodded towards the book in her arms.

Hermione closed the book and placed it on the table beside her chaise lounge.

"The House of Black is known for their love of Dark Magic." Hermione said to him. Prompting him.

Regulus nodded. "Not only their love of Dark Magic, but their skill in it as well." He sat down across from her. "It's how the name started. Black. It emphasized the importance of the Dark Arts to the family. Their skill."

"Why would the Black Family be so skilled in Dark Magic?" Hermione asked him. "That's what I don't understand. How did it happen? Did it start off dark? Was it always dark?"

Regulus frowned. "For some reason, the members of the family have always been really skilled in that type of magic. It was their niche, if you will. Some people are exceptional at Transfiguration. Some at Potions. The Black Family in everything dark." He paused. "Dark Magic tends to take more energy than Light Magic. Not everyone can do it. Not everyone can do it as well and as consistent as members of the House of Black. Some people can't do Dark Magic at all. It means nothing about their skill as a witch or wizard. Just that they are unable to perform that particular type of magic."

"Dark Magic generally needs a mature magical core for it to work properly for most people." Regulus said to her. "That's why it isn't taught anymore at Hogwarts. It used to be, back in the day. But they found that it might actually be damaging young witches and wizards. Damaging their core development. They stopped teaching it. They changed the course to Defence Against the Dark Arts. To protect against it."

Hermione was nodding, she had read that in Hogwarts: A History.

"The Black family is known for…was known for their skills, their abilities in that art, so to speak." Regulus began. "I think it's related to breeding, to blood…if you look at the Olivander Family, they are known for their skill in wand lore. In wand manufacturing. The Weasley Family and the Prewett Family in their abilities to have large families, among other things." He looked to Hermione. "That's a rarity in the Magical world. Having children is difficult on a witch. That's one of the reasons why most families have only one or two children. It takes too much out of the witch. It can mess with her magic."

Hermione frowned. "But wouldn't inbreeding affect one's ability to have children as well?" She asked her father. "That's had to play a part in a witch's ability as well."

Regulus nodded in agreement. "Absolutely. It's definitely played a roll. Purebloods are becoming sterile because of how closely related their families are."

"So…why don't pureblood families marry Muggleborns, or Half-Bloods? It would probably help with the infertility." Hermione told him.

Regulus smiled. "True…but does that make it so the family is no longer good at their craft? If the Black Family married muggles and Muggleborns and Half-Bloods, does that mean their skills in Dark Magic get weaker?" He asked her. "Does it dilute their abilities?" He looked at Hermione. "A Family's skill in something is often their entire identity, Hermione. The fear in this family was that they would just be like everyone else in regard to their abilities in Dark Magic. They would no longer be special. They'd lose their entire identity if they bred outside the Pureblood circles...outside the Black Family." Regulus paused, gathering his thoughts. "Now, I know that the inbreeding and the paranoia has mutated a lot of the thinking in this family, in regards to abilities. In regards to magic. Do I personally think that if the Black Family bred outside the Family we'd lose everything unique about us? No, not necessarily." He looked at Hermione. "In all honesty, it's probably for the better. At least overall. Generations down the road may not have the ability to perform Dark Magic as well as past members, or at all…but maybe that's not such a bad thing."

Hermione frowned. "Would you say me being a Half-Blood has affected my skill as a witch? As a member of the Black Family?" She asked him, wanting to know the answer.

Regulus smiled. "No." He said to Hermione. "I think you are extremely skilled in your abilities as a witch, Hermione. As a Half-Blood witch." He looked pointedly at Hermione. "You are extremely skilled in Dark Magic as well, Hermione."

Hermione gasped at him. "What are you talking about? I haven't done anything dark."

Regulus was looking at her with his eyebrows raised in disbelief. "You killed a man with Snape's Sectumsempra curse, Hermione. The first time you used it. You killed someone with the entrails expelling curse the first time you used it. That is rare." He paused, taking a breath. "Harry used the same curse that you did on Rabastan, on Draco, Hermione. He hurt him, absolutely. He didn't kill him. Draco had serious, but mostly superficial injuries. Anyone with skill in healing could have healed him in time. Snape just happened to be close by. You killed Rabastan almost instantly, Hermione. Narcissa said he was gone in less than a minute. Those at the Manor couldn't move quickly enough."

Hermione frowned. "I don't want to be a dark witch. I don't want to be good at that," she said quietly. "It scares me. Being good at that."

"I know…and that's okay." Regulus said to her. Hermione watched as Regulus got up and sat next to her. "I don't want you to be a dark witch either." He said as he put his arm around her.

"I have another question." Hermione muttered into Regulus' shoulder as he held her.

"Hmmm," he said. "And what would that be?"

"How did the Black Family gain so much influence in the past?" Hermione asked him. "I am assuming they didn't use Dark Magic to get stuff done. To control people. Government."

"Well…I am sure some of the things done was the result of Dark Magic. Imperiusing someone in the Ministry." Regulus said to her. "But, no. You're right. Mostly they gained influence through other ways." He removed his arm from her shoulder. "If you remember the Family Tree, the Tapestry, you can see that the Black Family is related to almost every single Pureblood family out there. The Black Family married into other families to gain influence, to gain power. Control."

Hermione looked at Regulus. Frowning.

"If you think about it. You get married, your Father-in-Law tells you about an idea he had. You humour him, he is your Father-in-Law. It's not like you can just blow him off, tell him his ideas are shit. He asks for a favour. You're trying to make a good impression. You grant him the favour. He meets with someone in a position of power. They bounce ideas off of each other. Laws get passed." Regulus shrugged. "Or…you're terrified of something happening. Your children getting taken away by someone in the family. You follow along with them so you don't ruffle any feathers. You don't lose something dear to you."

Hermione nodded. "Like having ones fingers in a lot of pies."

"Exactly." Regulus responded.

"It sounds like the mafia." Hermione quipped.

Regulus chuckled. "It sounds like how Voldemort gained power initially. Having his fingers in a whole bunch of pies. Favours he called. Questions he had for some families. Knowledge that he had no right to know about. Blackmail."

Hermione was nodding. "Is that why he had so many members of the Black Family in his ranks? Blackmail?"

Regulus hesitated. "Yes and no. He liked the Black Family because of their knowledge about the Dark Arts. Our skill in it. I think it was similar to the knowledge that the Gaunt Family had in the Art, at least historically. I know my parents were open supporters of his. Of his love for Dark Magic. I know Narcissa's parents were the same. I know that my mother refused to tell him some things about the family. Some secrets. They were in school together. At Hogwarts at the same time. All he really knew about the Black Family was their skill in Dark Magic. Nothing else. He was honestly clueless about anything to do with the history of the family." He looked at Hermione. "I know that when I got marked. When I got branded by him, mother told me to never allow him to see our magic book. To see the spells invented by the Black Family – they're old, some of them are dark, and most of them are dangerous if done incorrectly. But also, not all of them are necessarily for use. They are just invented by a family member out of curiosity. For theoretical purposes. That was a line he could never cross according to her."

Hermione nodded. "That makes sense. You have to have your secrets, you can't lay everything bare."

Regulus nodded. "Everyone has their secrets."

...

* * *

...

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY HARRY!" Hermione and the others yelled out.

All of the Weasley's, Regulus, Hermione, Theo and the Lupin's were standing in Harry's bedroom. Watching as he jumped out of bed in surprise.

He was wearing only his pajama bottoms, resulting in Ginny, Hermione, Tonks, Fleur, and Fred and George waving ten pound notes at him. Hermione had picked them up the day prior for everyone to use.

"Aaaah," Harry said, attempting to hide from everyone.

Ginny grabbed his glasses on the bedside table for him and placed them on his face. Once that was done, she grabbed his face and gave him a kiss on the lips. She pulled back grinning. "Happy Birthday Harry," She said quietly to him, smiling. Pulling him in for a hug.

"Well, now that the birthday boy is up he needs a spot of breakfast." Molly said to the room. "You have ten minutes to get down to the kitchen, Harry dear. Susan is waiting."

Hermione watched as Harry was beet red.

"Thanks everyone," he said to the room, looking around desperately for a t-shirt.

The people in the room collectively chuckled and began to exit the room, allowing for Harry to get dressed in peace.

Minutes later Harry appeared in the kitchen, dressed and more awake than he had been previously. Hermione watched as his eyes bulged taking in all the food on the table.

"Susan," Harry said desperately. "You didn't have to make this much."

"Nonsense Misters Harry," the little elf toddled over to him. "It's yous birthday." She guided him towards an empty chair at the table and lightly pushed him down. "Sit. Susan gets yous your breakfast."

The table was full of people. Smiling as Harry tucked himself in at his spot.

He grinned at Hermione. "I'm going to get you back for the ten pound notes, Hermione."

Hermione snickered. "How'd you know it was me? That it was my idea? It could've been Tonks you know…she knows muggle stuff."

Tonks bellowed laughing. "Barely, Hermione. Nice try in deflecting the blame."

Hermione pursed her lips, trying to fight back a grin. "So you'll get me back, will you?" She asked Harry, lifting a brow as a challenge.

"Yep," Harry said, sipping his orange juice. "Maybe not today. Maybe not tomorrow. But I promise you…I will get you back one day."

Remus was chuckling next to Tonks. Eyes bright. "You better be careful, Hermione. He sounds like his dad did when Sirius pulled a fast one over on him."

Hermione crinkled her nose, fighting a grin. "I'll be on the lookout then, I suppose." She dug into her pancakes, savouring the delicious taste.

...

* * *

...

Later that day the occupants of Grimmauld Place made their way over to The Burrow for Harry's birthday dinner. Mrs. Weasley insisted that everyone come, it was tradition to have it there.

Everyone was sitting outside in the back yard at the elongated table they had used previous years, laughing and joking with each other.

It was dark out and beginning to cool down drastically from the lack of sunlight. Hermione, shivered pulling her light sweater closer around her torso in a futile attempt to keep warm.

Harry had already given his flannel shirt for Ginny to wear, he was left with just a long sleeve top, but had huddled closer to Ginny in an attempt to share body heat.

Hermione looked over at her father sitting a ways down the table, chatting with Andromeda and Molly. Tonks and Remus had left earlier in the evening, Teddy needed his sleep. Regulus turned his head slightly and spotted Hermione, he gave her a smile as he took a sip of wine.

Arms brushed her back suddenly. Hermione jerked her head around, trying to figure out who was touching her. Theo was standing behind her, his light jacket in his hands.

"Here," he said quietly to her. "You're shivering." He placed his jacket over her shoulders and sat down next to her. He smiled at her. "Better?"

Hermione laughed lightly. "Yeah actually. Your jacket is warm." She pulled his coat tighter around her torso and tucked her arms into his sleeves. It was huge on her. She had to pull the sleeves up to set her hands free. "Thank you," she said to him. Smiling.

Theo grinned. "Anytime."

"If you were cold 'Mione you could have just asked." Ron said loudly from across the table, still bundled in his sweater.

"Oh it's alright Ron. I don't mind wearing Theo's jacket." Hermione said to him. She looked around the table, and made eye contact with Ginny who winked at her and toasted her glass of wine.

Hermione blushed, thankful that it was dark out.

"You looking forward to going back to Hogwarts, Hermione?" Theo asked her quietly.

"Very," Hermione said to him. "I can't wait." She turned to look at him smiling shyly.

"Me neither." Theo said with a twinkle in his eye as he took a sip of wine. He placed his arm on the back of her chair and started talking to her about the upcoming school year.


	22. Chapter 22

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The summer after Hermione's 6th year begins with her coming to the realization that she is not her parents' daughter. Follow Hermione as she comes to terms with who she is and where she comes from. The actions of good people are questioned, and people on the other side of the war are not as bad as they seem. Everyone has their secrets.

The morning of August 1st saw Hermione and the others sitting quietly at the kitchen table, munching away at their almost finished breakfast.

The day Narcissa and Draco left for Malfoy Manor back in July, Regulus informed everyone there that breakfast would not be served at promptly seven thirty in the morning. Nine o'clock was more his time of choice. It also wasn't mandatory.

A tapping at the kitchen window alerted the occupants of mail.

Regulus quickly got up, beating Hermione to the window, and let the two owls inside. He retrieved the letter attached to the first owl, giving it some bacon as thanks, watching it fly away. The second owl had multiple letters attached to its leg. Regulus carefully retrieved them as well and allowed the owl to also grab a piece of bacon before it left.

Regulus took the stack of mail, searching for who it was addressed to. He took the first letter and handed it to Theo and then handed both Hermione and Harry their letters. He had one of his own as well.

The Hogwarts booklists had arrived.

"Oh," Hermione said quietly as she pulled open her letter. Regulus watched as she was checking the envelope for something else. Something more.

Hermione frowned to herself and unfolded her letter to read.

> _Dear Ms. Hermione Black_
> 
> _As an Eighth Year student returning to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry I must inform you of certain rules in place in regard to the Prefect and Head Student requirements. Unfortunately, only students between Fifth Year and Seventh Year have the ability to become prefect and/or Head Girl or Boy. This has nothing to do with your abilities as a student. The rule is in place to allow current students between Fifth Year and Seventh Year an equal chance, without having competition with more students than usual. I highly recommend that you use this extra time you will now have to focus on your studies. NEWT Level courses are incredibly challenging for all students. Use the time you have wisely._
> 
> Sincerely,
> 
> __
> 
> _Headmistress Minerva McGonagall_

Hermione nodded to herself and looked up at her father who was watching her. 

"Is everything alright, Hermione?" He asked her with a concerned look on his face.

"Yes." She paused, gathering her thoughts. "I haven't made Head Girl or Prefect because I'm an eighth year student now. Only students who are between fifth year and seventh year are allowed to be chosen."

"Same for quidditch captain, apparently." Harry said to her. "Although I can still play on the team if I get chosen by the current quidditch captain."

Regulus nodded, still watching Hermione.

Hermione frowned a bit more and looked down at the table, refusing to make eye contact with anyone.

She sniffed. "But…Head Girl is all I've ever wanted. It means a lot to me and to potential employers. I feel like I'm being punished because I went back to school."

"Hermione," Regulus said softly. "Head Girl or Prefect means very little outside of school. Sure it can show that you have exceptional leadership skills and time management skills, depending on your grades. But that's it. You don't need to have a badge to prove it."

Hermione looked up from the table and turned her head to Regulus frowning at what he was saying.

"Think about what you and Harry, and Ron did this past year you guys were away from school. You worked together as a group, figured out how to destroy a horcrux – which is incredibly difficult to figure out or to find information on. You both kept your heads enough with the horcrux in close proximity to you. You didn't get caught when that thing was there around you. You didn't get hurt when that thing was there around you. You had a plan – abet a vague one – and you stuck to it. You kept your head. That says more about leadership and mental acuity than any silly badge does." Regulus paused. "You don't need a badge to prove to people you are brilliant, Hermione. You don't need a badge to prove to employers that they should hire you. Everything that you've done from your first year at Hogwarts to today has already done that for you. You'll have no problem finding a career of your choosing."

Hermione nodded hesitantly to him. "You think so?"

Regulus nodded. "Yes, I do." He paused. "How about you take a look at the rest of your letter. What do we need to get this year?"

Hermione returned focus to her letter, still clutched in her hand, and removed the top piece of parchment. The second page had a list of books to buy for her classes. As well as a requirement for students to purchase a dress and/or dress robes. Finally, it had the note that students completing their education must purchase a graduation gown and hat to wear during the graduation ceremony.

"I need a dress as well as a graduation gown," Hermione looked up at Regulus. "Why? What's going on?"

Regulus smiled at her. "There is a Yule Ball this year before everyone leaves for Winter Break. The other professors insisted on it." He looked at Hermione. "They want to emphasize unity between the students. They want the students to be students, to be kids. This is a way to do it in a fun way for most people."

"The only Yule Ball we had before was during the Triwizard Tournament," Harry said to him. "I didn't find that fun at all."

Theo started chuckling. "You looked terrified, Harry. Before you and the other champions started dancing."

Regulus was chuckling too. "They try to have a Ball at the school every couple of years usually. I think I went to two or three of them when I was a student there. It's not a requirement, but it's a good thing to go to. Especially if you think you'll be going to events in the future. It is good practise to get comfortable with some stuff."

"Is that your subtle way of telling me I have to go?" Hermione asked him, with an eyebrow raised.

"There was nothing subtle about that Hermione, but yes. You'll have to go. I insist, this time." Regulus looked to Harry. "You should go as well, Harry. You'll definitely have events to go to. Families will invite you constantly, since you defeated Voldemort, to their parties and balls. The Ministry as well."

Harry nodded in acceptance.

"When can we go to Diagon Alley to get our books and everything?" Hermione asked Regulus. "I need to get a start on my reading, I don't want to fall behind."

Regulus shrugged. "We can go today if you want to." He answered her. "I'm getting sick and tired of going over my lesson plans and second guessing what I'm doing. I may as well get what I need to teach you guys."

Hermione nodded. "You should ask Ginny to come, Harry." Harry nodded at her. "You and Theo can get your dress robes, and Ginny and I can get our dresses while we are there. Before it gets too busy with back-to-school shopping."

Regulus nodded. "That sounds like a plan. We can make it a day event, I suppose. Go for lunch while we are there."

Hermione looked to Theo. "Is that alright that I invited you to come with us? I don't want to overstep my place. Maybe you'd want to go with Draco or Pansy or Blaise. I shouldn't have assumed." Hermione frowned to herself.

Theo chuckled. "I would love to come with all of you, Hermione." He paused. "Even if Draco and Pansy and Blaise go another day, I can still go with them, it's not a big deal."

"I'll floo Ginny and see if she can make it today," Harry said to the room. "Give me a couple of minutes."

Harry got up and left the room.

Hermione looked at the booklist, her mind thrumming with anticipation for the upcoming year. "Two books for defence?" she asked Regulus.

Regulus nodded as he sipped his coffee. "I have to teach the seventh years the six year defence course before we can start on the seventh year stuff. And those who missed a year, the eighth years, I need to re-teach everything. Or at least brush up on some things. Snape didn't do the best of jobs either. Although he was better than anyone else, except for Remus with course content." Regulus sipped his coffee. "It's going to be a really intense course. I think four or five hours per week of class time is needed to get everyone prepared for their NEWT exam. I'll know more during the staff meeting the week before classes start."

Hermione frowned. "How long will you take to reteach the sixth year stuff?"

Regulus grinned. "A month and a half…two at the most. I'm just doing the important things that tie into the seventh year curriculum. A bit of theory that needs to be done, and then practical applications for certain spells that will tie into the more advanced spellwork."

The floo was heard roaring to life. Moments later Harry stepped back into the kitchen.

"Ginny will come," He smiled at Hermione. "Mrs. Weasley is coming too. It's the last year she will get to do it, so she wants to be there." Harry paused. "They're just finishing up breakfast. Ron will come too. He needs some clothes for when he begins his training next week."

Hermione nodded to him. She looked down at her shorts and T-shirt and looked back up at her father. "Is this appropriate enough? Or do I need to get changed into something else?"

Regulus waved her off. "It's fine." He finished his cup of coffee. "This isn't an official outing for you. This is just back to school shopping."

"Narcissa said to treat every outing like an official outing, like I was being judged." Hermione informed him as she sipped her tea.

"And do I look like Narcissa, Hermione?" Regulus asked her cheekily. "Remember what I said: if you offend someone that is their problem, not yours. It's the summer. It's hot out already. It would be ridiculous to wear anything more than you are."

The floo roared to life again. Soon afterwards the kitchen door swung open. Ginny, Molly and Ron stepped into the room, greeting the occupants.

"I'm quidditch captain!" Ginny roared to the room, Molly rolled her eyes and pursed her lips in disappointment.

"Thought I should let everyone know." Ginny grinned mischievously at the occupants of Grimmauld Place, ignoring her mother. "I wonder who I'll pick for seeker." She tapped her chin in thought. "I may have to hold try-outs for the position. You could be a bit rusty, Potter."

Harry chuckled.

The group quickly made their way out of the kitchen and headed towards Diagon Alley.

...

* * *

...

After a quick trip to the various vaults the group was ready to start their shopping.

"I need to get a new broom," Harry said to the group. "And an owl." He frowned, remembering Hedwig. "I'm going to start there, if that's alright. I'll meet you at Flourish and Blotts when I'm done."

Ron said he'd go with Harry.

Regulus, Molly, Hermione, Ginny and Theo stepped into Flourish and Blotts in search of their textbooks for the upcoming year.

Hermione inhaled deeply. She loved this store. The smell of new books awakened her senses. The smell of parchment and ink wafting through the store. Peace. Chatter could be heard quietly throughout the store. They had beaten the rush of students.

She turned to look at Regulus, smiling, and took off with Ginny and Theo towards the subjects they would be studying for their final year.

"She seems happy," Molly said to Regulus as they slowly walked through the store.

"She is, I think." Regulus responded. He found talking to Molly to be slightly uncomfortable. He knew she didn't approve of him. He was a Black and a former Death Eater. He knew she was judging him critically. Probably rightfully so.

"You know," Molly started. "My son Ron used to really fancy her. I thought they'd get married in the future. I thought she'd be a Weasley one day. I suppose you wouldn't think a Weasley is good enough for her now that she's a Black."

Regulus stopped abruptly and turned to look at her. "Ron being a Weasley has nothing to do with me thinking he's not good enough for her, Molly. What I do have a problem with, however, is this: he sure has an odd way of showing someone that he fancies her." He stated bluntly. "I mean, insulting one's intelligence repeatedly, ridiculing someone for taking their education seriously is a strange way to show you fancy someone, is it not?" He asked her coolly. "Also the fact that he reduced her to tears in her fourth year because she happened to get a date to the Yule Ball, and happened to have a good time at it away from him, is also a strange way to show someone that you fancy them."

Molly's mouth popped open in shock. Her face turning red in anger.

Regulus held up his hands in order to placate her. "If she only takes one thing away from what she will learn about being a Black, I truly hope that it is the realisation that she shouldn't have to dumb herself down to make others more comfortable and attracted to her." He paused, watching Molly with hard eyes. "I know you think I am going to change her. That I am going to set her up with a husband, a pureblood husband. I can assure you that couldn't be further from the truth. I support my daughter one hundred percent, in anything she does. If she wants to save the house elves from abusive households, I'm there right beside her. If she wants to rewrite the outdated and biased werewolf laws and make it so Remus and others can hold down a job consistently, without fear of retaliation because of their condition. I am right beside her. I couldn't care less who she marries, if she chooses to at all. I trust her choice. I support her choice – whoever and whatever it will be. I trust her. All I am trying to do is show her that she can do it. That she can use her family name to do it, to make it easier for her."

"The fact that I may be buying her clothes, that I may be getting her to wear some more high-end clothing during certain outings has very little to do with her being a Black and more to do with me trying to instill some confidence in herself." Regulus hissed at her. "I wonder how she got the idea in her head that her dating boys and dressing in nice clothes somehow made her a scarlet woman." He scoffed at the outdated, traditional term that he had constantly heard his mother use when he was a child. "How did that happen, I wonder? How did she get that idea? Who did she hear that from, Molly?"

Regulus watched as Molly gaped, speechless. "I've never called her that." She insisted.

Regulus smirked and shook his head. "Not to her face, perhaps. But I do know that your son…the one that supposedly fancied her, informed her that that was what you thought of girls who had a boyfriend or two. All because she went to the Ball with a popular boy and not your son. All because she stood by Harry's side when everyone else left him." He looked around the store, making sure no one was listening in. "You know…for someone who prides themselves on being a supposed 'blood traitor' you sure do have some very traditional viewpoints, Molly." Regulus watched her with a bored expression, one that he had perfected when he was just a kid. He was truly simmering inside.

Molly stood there with a hard frown on her face. Scowling at Regulus. "You were a Death Eater. It was something you chose to do. It was something you agreed with. How dare you question me. How dare you tell me that my viewpoints are too traditional. Where were you when your daughter first went to Hogwarts? Where were you when your daughter got hurt at school? When she got into trouble? You weren't there, Regulus. You hid from her, Mr. Black. You let other people raise your own child, because you couldn't do it yourself. You didn't know how to." Molly paused, gathering her thoughts. "I may not be perfect. But at least I am there for my children when they need a mother. When they need a parent. Which is more than I can say for you."

A throat cleared from behind Regulus. He turned to look at who it was. Harry and Ron were standing there, Harry clutching his new owl cage, Ron holding Harry's broom.

"Have we interrupted something?" Harry asked, looking between Molly and Regulus.

Regulus shook his head the same time Molly spoke.

"Of course not, Harry dear. Nothing important." Molly said to him with a strained smile on her face. She turned as if to look for her daughter, trying to gather her emotions. Regulus watched as she closed her eyes for a moment and swallowed. "We must find the children. There is lots to do today." She walked away from the group towards where Hermione, Ginny and Theo had disappeared to earlier.

Regulus held out his hand to Harry, indicating he would take the owl cage from him so Harry could get his books. Harry gave him the cage carefully. The tiny owl, black in colour, was sleeping peacefully in its cage.

"Let's go get your books," Regulus said to Harry, motioning that he and Ron should lead the way.

...

* * *

...

After the school supplies were purchased for everyone, Regulus took the entire group out for a bite to eat. After that was done the group began to search for outfits for the upcoming year. School robes and graduation gowns for Harry, Theo, Hermione and Ginny. As well as dresses for the girls and dress robes for the boys. Ron was able to find clothes he could wear to work when he started his training. Everything was complete. Everyone was exhausted.

Hermione dropped her purchases onto her bed and began the trek downstairs to the kitchen. She needed a cup of tea.

She gently pushed open the door to the kitchen and stopped in her tracks when she spotted Regulus sitting at the table, clutching a mug of tea. Lost in thought.

"Dad," Hermione said quietly, not wanting to startle him.

Regulus inhaled deeply and looked up from his mug. He gave her a smile that didn't reach his eyes.

"Are you okay?" she asked him, frowning. She knew something was off since the bookstore. Regulus and Molly were shooting each other glances, thinking no one else was watching them. The tension was rife and evident to everyone there.

Regulus gave her a jerky nod. "Yeah. I'm okay."

"You had some words with Mrs. Weasley, I assume?" Hermione stated to him.

Regulus snorted softly. "You could tell, huh?"

Hermione grinned. "I'm pretty sure the waiter could tell, dad. It wasn't exactly difficult to figure out."

Regulus grimaced a bit to himself.

"Did you want to talk about it?" She asked him gently, unsure what she should say.

Regulus opened his mouth, hesitated, and then closed it again. He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "She accused me of not allowing Ron to marry you because I figured he wouldn't be good enough for you. Because you're a Black now." He said quietly to her. "I told her that I had no problem with Ron being a Weasley, but that he had a funny way of showing someone he liked them. He fancied them." He paused. "It sort of escalated from there. Harry calmed it down. But some harsh words were said between us." He looked to Hermione. "We'll be okay, Hermione. We can be respectable adults. We can put our differences behind us. I don't want this to come between you and her. You and her family."

Hermione nodded. "Thank you for sticking up for me."

Regulus looked at her surprised. He hadn't told her that.

"Theo and Ginny and I heard a bit of the argument when we went searching for you two. We didn't know where you went off to. I didn't know how it had started. Thank you for telling me." Hermione said quietly.

Regulus gave her a smile and took a sip of tea. "How sneaky of you." He quipped. "I'm really proud of you, you know that right?" He asked her.

Hermione nodded. "I'm starting to see that, yes. I'm proud of you too, dad." She gave him a small smile. "I like calling you that." She grinned. "Dad."

Regulus chuckled softly. "I like hearing it."

...

* * *

...

It was the third week of August and Hermione was hard at work, reading her textbook after dinner. Theo had often joined her in the library to read together. Making small talk as they did.

She liked him. She could admit to herself.

She liked him a lot.

She had dreamt about him a few nights previously. It was erotic. She never really had a dream like that before. About anyone. Not Viktor and definitely not about Ron.

She had flooed to The Burrow in a panic the following day. Searching for Ginny. She was terrified she would mess things up with her and Theo's new friendship. The redhead grinned at her in response to her confession and assured her that Theo thought the same about her. Hermione asked how Ginny was so sure about Theo's feelings towards her. Ginny had snorted in response and told her he wouldn't stop looking at her. That it was 'pretty, freaking obvious' to everyone but her.

Hermione swallowed as she remembered her and Ginny's conversation. Remembering what Ginny had told her about finding the right guy. That it wouldn't matter who she had been with previously. That it wouldn't matter if she had very little experience. "It doesn't matter to people who are worth it, 'Mione'", Ginny had told her. "Harry didn't care that he wasn't my first. He's accepted me for me. All of me. All of my skeletons. If Theo is the right guy, he will do the same for you."

Hermione shook her head to clear her thoughts and tried focusing on her Arithmacy book. Even she could admit this textbook was a dry read. She had to be in the mood for it.

"Hey," a quiet voice called out to her from the doorway.

Hermione looked up from her book and spotted Theo standing there watching her.

"I was going to go for a walk," Theo began. "I was wondering if you wanted to come with me." He voice lifted at the end, indicating his hope that she would.

Hermione closed her book with a snap. "Absolutely I'll come with you, Theo." She shook her head, trying to disengage her thoughts about her feelings for him. She needed a clear head.

Her and Theo exited the library and made their way through the house towards the front door. Spotting Regulus in one of the rooms, laying on a couch reading and chewing on a quill, Hermione poked her head in the doorway.

"Theo and I are going to go for a walk," Hermione informed him.

Regulus grinned without looking away from his book. "Have fun you two."

"See you in a bit," Hermione responded. Ignoring his teasing tone.

Theo walked behind her as they stepped out of the front door and down the steps. Hermione paused and turned to face Theo.

"Where do you normally walk to?" She asked him.

Theo shrugged with a grin. "Wherever," he told her. "I don't really have a solid route. I just walk until I can clear my head usually."

Hermione nodded in understanding and turned back around. She started walking, placing her hands in her jeans pockets. She was nervous.

She felt a soft touch to the small of her back and looked to Theo walking next to her. He was looking at her as he more firmly placed his hand on her back.

"Is this alright?" He asked her.

Hermione nodded to him. "Yes," she said softly.

She removed her hands from her pockets and hesitantly reached around his lower back with her left arm.

Theo moved his arm up around her shoulders and tugged her closer to him as they walked along the sidewalk.

"What do you have to clear your head about?" Hermione asked him after minutes of silence.

Theo chuckled. "You, usually." He told her. "I have to clear my head about you, Hermione."

Hermione smiled. "Really?"

"Really."

Hermione nodded and tucked her hair behind her ear with her free hand. She felt it spring back to its previous position seconds later.

"I want to say something to you, Hermione. Is that okay?" Theo asked her.

"Of course," Hermione nodded again.

Theo nodded. He took a breath. "I really like you. I have for a while. Possibly since fifth year. But most definitely since sixth year. I like how you think. I like how you can hold a conversation with me in a variety of subjects. I like how you take school as seriously as I do. Most people don't. Most people say I'm too intense or boring because of what I like to study." Theo paused, taking another breath. "What I'm trying to say is that I like you more than a friend, Hermione. As more than a classmate. And I was wondering if you felt like that about me. I was wondering if you wanted to date. If you wanted to try dating with me. I promise that if it doesn't work out, or that if you don't want to, that's okay. I won't mind, I understand. I will still be your friend if that's all you want." He stopped walking and turned to face in front of her.

"Do you want to try a relationship with me, Hermione?" Theo asked her softly, watching her face for any tell.

Hermione grinned at him. She knew she was blushing like mad. "Theo…I would love to try a relationship with you." She smiled up at him. "I would really like to date you, Theo."

Theo grinned in relief and nodded at her. His hand moved to her face. Cupping her cheek. "Can I kiss you?" He asked her, peering into her eyes, waiting for her response before he did anything else.

"Please," Hermione said as she stood on her tiptoes, reaching up to place her hands on his shoulders.

She closed her eyes as Theo got closer to her. His lips brushing hers moments later. Tentative. Cautious.

Hermione pressed closer into Theo. Reaching around his neck, trying to get a hold on him.

She opened her mouth slightly and deepened the kiss. She felt his hands move to her hair grasping it lightly in response.

He deepened the kiss more. Tentatively reaching out with his tongue, pressing against her lips. Asking.

Hermione responded by tentatively stroking her tongue against his. _Fuck she wanted this_ , she realized. She took a quick breath and crashed her lips harder against his. Nibbling on his bottom lip.

A car honking at them caused them to break apart quickly.

Looking away from each other, embarrassed about getting carried away.

Theo cleared his throat, and reached his arm around her shoulder again. They began to walk again.

Hermione laughed softly. "We got a little carried away there," she told him quietly. Looking up to see his face as he responded.

Theo grinned. "Whoops."

He kissed the side of her head as they strolled down the sidewalk, no destination in mind.


	23. Chapter 23

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The summer after Hermione's 6th year begins with her coming to the realization that she is not her parents' daughter. Follow Hermione as she comes to terms with who she is and where she comes from. The actions of good people are questioned, and people on the other side of the war are not as bad as they seem. Everyone has their secrets.

Hermione was laying in her bed wide awake, brimming with excitement and nervousness. It was still incredibly early in the morning, the sun just beginning to rise in the sky. Her bedroom slowly gaining colour.

Hermione reached for her watch on her bedside table, checking the time. It was only six o'clock in the morning. Far too early to get out of bed. She had already packed her Hogwarts trunk the night before. She was ready to go.

She let her mind drift, it quickly turned to Theo. Hermione grinned to herself and hid her face behind her hand. They had gone out on a few dates together, dinner and lunch at both muggle and wizarding restaurants. Theo was ever the gentleman, and never let things get too heated between them…at least when they were in public. Their new relationship had made the front page of the Daily Prophet after a simple lunch date in Diagon Alley – the first time he had taken her out. Hermione was embarrassed at the attention they were getting, but both Theo and her father informed her that it was probably going to be pretty regular with who she was, a Black and part of the Golden Trio. It still had left Hermione frustrated and in tears the day the story broke to the public. She just wanted to experience something normal. _Was that too much to ask from people?_

Hermione laughed a bit to herself. Remembering how Harry had responded to the story. Ever the supportive friend, he had taken Ginny out to a posh wizarding restaurant to draw attention away from her and Theo's new relationship. Ginny thought the idea was hilarious and rolled with it. The newspaper had had a field day. Suggesting possible wedding dates for the Boy-Who-Lived-Twice, and how soon the two would be having children. Hermione rolled her eyes at the ridiculousness of it all. They were just kids trying to figure themselves out.

In private, she and Theo were a different story. They had taken to studying in the library together – nothing new, Hermione could admit. Yet now when they did study together in the library, Theo liked to sit behind her on her chaise lounge with her leaning back against him; he would hold her in his arms while they read the same textbook together. He would nibble on her ear or her neck as they were reading – distracting Hermione constantly. Sometimes he would read the book aloud to her as she held it open for him. Pausing to kiss her deeply when he figured they had been studying for too long. She loved it. Sometimes they would just read silently to themselves. During which he would kiss her cheek when he was ready for her to turn the page. She loved the affection he showed her. It made her feel warm inside.

Regulus had the misfortune one afternoon of walking in on them making out in the library; Theo laying on top of her, his hand sliding up her shirt. Textbook forgotten on the floor.

Theo had the misfortune as well.

Regulus had sent a faint stinging hex to Theo's backside and informed him that he needed to go and visit one of his friends for a few hours. He was grinning while he said it, otherwise Hermione would have thought that he was against the idea of them together.

After Theo had left for Blaise's home, Regulus had sat down across from her. "Now, I do try not to be a hypocrite," Regulus had said to her at the time, smiling faintly. "And I do really like Theodore…" Hermione had looked at him with huge eyes, understanding where he was going.

"Dad," She had said. "We learned about the contraceptive spell in fifth year. Professor Flitwick had to teach us. Apparently years prior there had been a number of students that had gotten pregnant at Hogwarts, because they didn't know the spell. In the seventies, if you can believe." Hermione had looked at him with an amused expression.

Regulus grinned in relief that he wouldn't have to teach her it. "I knew the spell…I just forgot about it at the time." He scoffed at her. "Just please be careful, alright?" He asked her softly. "Don't forget to use your head, Hermione. And don't feel like you need to do something you're not ready for, okay?" Hermione nodded at him, in understanding.

They had quickly moved onto more history about the Black Family. A daily occurrence that Regulus more than happily told her about. Answering the questions she had openly and honestly.

Hermione sighed again shaking her head trying to clear it. She took another look at her watch. Six thirty. Maybe she should have a nice, long shower before the rest of the house woke up. She'd have time for her morning cup of tea before breakfast. Before the chaos inevitably happened as it did every September 1st.

Hermione was on her second cup of tea before anyone else joined her in the kitchen. Susan and Kreacher were working together, making everyone breakfast. Hermione watching them as they did so.

Regulus walked into the kitchen, smiling when he saw her sitting there nursing her tea.

"Couldn't sleep?" He quietly asked her, reaching around the elves busy at work to make himself a cup of tea as well.

"Not really, no." Hermione responded to him.

Regulus nodded, indicating that he was listening. "Are you sleeping any better? Or is it still the same as before?"

Hermione hesitated, taking a sip of tea. "Some days it's better. Some days I can get close to a full night's sleep. But those are rare." She paused. "I mean…I never could do that before, so it is technically better than before. It's just not consistent."

Regulus nodded and took a sip of his tea. "Minerva said during the staff meeting last week that she was able to get some mind healers stationed at the school for everyone. I've met them. They seem like really nice people. Really approachable." He paused, not wanting to overstep his boundaries. "Would speaking to them be something that you're interested in?" He asked his daughter.

Hermione nodded. "Yeah. They sound like psychologists or psychiatrists in the muggle world. I would definitely be open to talk with them."

Regulus sighed in relief. "It may be a good idea to talk to someone you don't know. Not family or friends. No judgement, no history. That's what they said at least. That it was sometimes easier for some people to say what they were feeling, what was an issue for them to people who weren't family."

Hermione hummed in understanding.

"You have a really full schedule this year, with all your courses." Regulus said to her. "You will need your sleep. As much as you can get anyway." He paused. "Your classes are going to be really intense. Not just mine…all of them. The professors have a lot to catch up on for the NEWTS."

Hermione nodded again.

Regulus hesitated a bit, watching Hermione closely. "What?" she asked him quietly.

"You don't have to be perfect, Hermione." He said to her. "You don't need perfect grades. You don't need to get every single answer correct. I don't want you to beat yourself up if you only get an Exceeds Expectations in something."

Hermione frowned. "Has Harry said something?" Thinking of how upset she was in sixth year when he bested her in potions. Or during her third year defense exam in which he beat her score.

Regulus smiled at her. "He may have mentioned it," he admitted. "I will be marking defense really different from most of your previous professors. Not unfairly. I just won't be giving out marks to people I like because I like them. I know that the professors – some of them – do that for the students they like." He looked at Hermione over his tea cup. "I won't."

Hermione nodded and sipped her tea. "Why?"

Regulus smiled. "Because you've had a lot of shit teachers in defense. The only one who was any good was Remus and that was way back in your third year." He paused. "The NEWT exam in defense tends to make people realise that they don't know everything. I knew of students that were in my year who left the exam in tears. Slytherins, Hermione…bawling their eyes out in the common room because they didn't know the subject like they thought they did."

He took a sip of his tea. "The fact that you've had just one good professor in your entire schooling in defense is going to unfortunately hinder you. It will hinder everyone there. I have to try to make up for it. I will have to try to fix it as best as I can. But I know I won't be perfect. Some people won't like the way I'll be teaching them."

Hermione sipped her tea and nodded in understanding.

She could hear feet thumping down the steps. Moments later both Harry and Theo stepped into the kitchen with Hermione and Regulus.

"Morning," Harry mumbled to the room, running a hand through his mop of black hair. As he sat down at the table Susan puttered towards him and set his cup of coffee in front of him. Kreacher did the same for Theo.

"Thanks Kreacher," Theo said to the old elf.

"Breakfast will be ready shortly." Susan said to the room as she turned back towards the stove.

Theo was standing behind his usual place at the table. He made eye contact and grinned at Hermione. He walked over to her and bent down to give her a kiss. As his lips pressed into hers, Hermione heard her father start to laugh.

"Merlin you two," Regulus chuckled. "It's been like eight hours at most." He said grinning at the couple, amusement in his eyes.

Hermione rolled her eyes at him and stuck out her tongue.

Susan and Kreacher served the quartet with their breakfast.

...

* * *

...

Regulus had dropped everyone off at Platform 9 ¾, he would be heading to the castle later in the day to meet everyone at the school. After giving Hermione a long hug and helping her up the step onto the train, he nodded to Theo and Harry before he turned ready to leave the platform. The train was ready to leave. The kids needed to get on it quickly before it left without them.

Hours later, Ginny and Hermione and Harry and Luna were sitting on the Hogwarts Express, lounging in their seats. They were about halfway to the school by Hermione's calculations. Theo had just left the carriage to sit with his friends for the remainder of the ride, having not seen some of them for quite some time.

Hermione took out a textbook to read for the rest of the way.

"So…" Ginny said to the carriage, her eyes not leaving Hermione even as she leaned against Harry's shoulder. "Have you two done the deed yet?" She grinned at Hermione. Ever the gossip.

Hermione blushed. "Piss off, Ginny." She said good naturedly. "No we haven't." She focused on her Ancient Runes textbook.

"But you obviously want to…" Ginny kept pressing her for information.

"Gin…stop. I don't need to know about Hermione's sex life. She's like my sister." Harry begged her.

Ginny cackled. "Hermione knows all about our sex life, Potter."

"Unfortunately," Hermione murmured with a grin at her best friend.

"The sexual tension is very evident." Luna said to the carriage as she read her magazine.

"Between who?" Hermione asked, looking towards the blonde girl.

"Both couples, of course." Luna replied. "I'll be finding my soulmate this year. Hopefully we're as sexually compatible as everyone here." She finished dreamily.

Ginny grinned at Luna. "And who are you thinking is your soulmate, Luna?" She asked her close friend.

Luna smiled. "I have a feeling, but I won't say. He doesn't know yet. I don't want to tempt the fates."

...

* * *

...

Hermione was sitting at the Gryffindor table with her housemates. Full to the brim after a delicious meal. The headmistress had given her welcoming speech to the students prior to dinner being served, after the first years had been sorted – both eleven year olds and the twelve year olds that missed the year before. There would be a lot of new students this year. Seamus and Dean had sat down next to Hermione and patted her hair earlier in the night. Commenting on her new colouring. Hermione watched them as the couple were talking in hushed tones with each other a bit further down the table. They were a well-known secret couple in the Gryffindor common room. Only Harry had been surprised that they were together. Completely oblivious to his surroundings the previous years.

A tapping could be heard coming from the head table at the front of the Great Hall. Headmistress McGonagall was standing, waiting to speak to her pupils. The chatter quickly died down.

She smiled at the crowd of faces looking up at her. "After we've all enjoyed our delicious feast, I do have some further announcements for you all to hear." She said clearly to the occupants of the great hall. "We have a number of new staff at Hogwarts this year, whom I'd like to introduce you to." She turned slightly to Regulus. "Mr. Regulus Black will be our Defense Against the Dark Arts professor for at least the next year. He is extremely skilled in defense and was one of the key individuals to fight against You-Know-Who in the recent war. I look forward to hearing how you all enjoy his classes this year and do believe you'll all be in for a treat." The great hall erupted in cheers. Hermione clapped along with the rest of the group, giving her father a grin as she did so.

"Another new staff member is Miss Penelope Clearwater, who has agreed to take over from myself in Transfiguration." McGonagall said to the room. "As her former professor, I know that she was an outstanding student in Transfiguration and has recently completed her mastery in the subject in America. She is a real asset to have here, I do hope you'll welcome her back to Hogwarts with open arms." The great hall cheered loudly again.

"The head of Gryffindor House is now Professor Vector, rather than myself. Gryffindor students, while I do enjoy you all, I will ask that you direct your questions or issues about booking the quidditch pitch now to Professor Vector." She looked at the Gryffindor table pointedly, with the slightest smirk. The Gryffindor table collectively chuckled. "My Deputy Head is Professor Flitwick, whom the returning students will be familiar with as their charms professor." Professor Flitwick gave a little wave from his seat, smiling at the crowd of children looking up at him.

"Your Head Girl this year is a Ravenclaw student by the name of Rebecca Stathmort." The girl stood up to wave at everyone. "The Head Boy is a Hufflepuff student by the name of Zachary Stevenson." The boy at the Hufflepuff table waved at the students looking at him. Hermione frowned, she had remembered that she confiscated a fanged Frisbee from him in her fifth year when she had been a prefect.

"As you all can see, sitting near to Madam Pomfrey are other healers." The Headmistress stated somewhat quietly, but still clearly. "We have four more healers here to assist Madam Pomfrey in a number of areas. They are all on a rotation. Two will be available during all hours of the day. Everyday." She paused, and took a breath. "These healers, while adept at handling a number of different things, specialize in mind healing. They are available to everyone here, staff or student. To talk about anything you wish that is possibly troubling you. Regardless of whether it has to do with the war or something else." She smiled at the crowd, now entirely quiet. "While it is not a requirement that you see them, I highly recommend each and every student visit a healer at least once during this year. I myself have already spoken with them. There is no harm in talking with someone. No one here will judge you. You are not weak." She let her last statement ring out. A few of the students were nodding.

She smiled again. "On a lighter note, I bring great joy in informing you all that this year we will be having a Yule Ball just before the Winter Break. The theme for this ball is 'unity' and is open to all students, regardless of year, although it is not required that you come." A few of the students chatted excitedly with each other.

The Headmistress smiled at everyone, watching as the students chatted. "On to our usual notices now," she said. "The Forbidden Forest remains forbidden as it does every year. Mr. Filch has banned a number of items from Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes as well as Zonko's Joke Shop. A complete list is posted on his office door for you to look at when you get the chance." She paused. "I ask now that the prefects from each house escort the students to their respective common rooms. Your class schedules will be given to you all tomorrow morning during breakfast, which begins at seven thirty in the morning. Good night everyone, and Welcome to Hogwarts!"

Hermione and the other students slowly got up out of their seats to make their way to their respective common rooms.

Hermione reached her dorm room, which she now shared with Ginny and three other seventh year girls. Hermione was the only female Gryffindor to return to complete her studies.

She looked around the room as she sat on her bed. Smiling at Ginny.

She was home.


End file.
